Transformers Prime: Together Again
by Indigo Ninja
Summary: Sequel to TFP: Together. As Maddie and Starscream's bond grows ever stronger, along with surviving the ups and downs. Maddie discovers things that not even she knew about, and hard choices will have to be made. Goes through ss2 of TFP. T to be safe, MaddiexStarscream OptimusxOC slightly AU co-written with Link's Rose
1. Night

_**Author's Note: I DO NOT own ANY of the characters in Prime. I only own ones that are obviously not in the cartoon. I only own Maddie and Mylah. That's it, end of discussion.**__**  
**_

* * *

Night

My POV:

I sighed, and looked up into the night sky. Starscream was near, I could feel it through the bond. His happiness flowed into me as he flew above my house. It was exciting that he flew over my house, and I allowed my excitement get the better of me and I had jumped onto the roof of my home.

Starscream hovered above the roof and opened the cockpit, "Are you ready to fly?" he asked me this. My answer was jumping into my love. He laughed, and I joined him. It had only been a week since we last saw each other and we acted like it had been years. It took Starscream awhile to find where I lived. But then that was probably my fault as well, because I couldn't remember the name of the road I lived on. No matter, because he still found me, right?

Anyways, we flew off into the night. When I looked to one side of the cockpit, I could see my home lost in the millions of lights that made up the large town that I lived in. Starscream flew faster and faster and then I heard a loud and thunderous boom.

"Starscream, how fast are we going?" I asked my love.

"Can't you tell?" he laughed, "We broke the sound barrier!"

I laughed with him, this was exhilarating. More so than even a rollercoaster. But sadly, like all rides, they had to end at some point or another. Starscream's sadness washed over me, and I sent a wave of comfort back. Sympathetic comfort, because I was sad that this was ending too. So I decided to talk to him, "So, how's life?"

I could feel his anger, "Megatron is still trying to capture me, but more often than not I almost died because the drones don't know the difference between "Offline" and "Capture" apparently."

I stifled a laugh, "So that aftshaft still wants you?"

"It seems so," he replied grimly, "And it seems he also wants you as well." That was a bit worrying. Knowing that he saw me in my Petromann form, I figured he wanted to utilize my powers. But also knowing him, he will utterly fail because he has a bad tactician, and a bad tactician equals a bad plan for capturing the human, but since I was only part human, I had a few good abilities that I could use against him.

Starscream must've noticed my thoughts, because I could hear him growling, "I promise you Maddie, Megatron will never lay even a finger on you." He turned around in the air, "If he does, I swear, upon Primus himself, that I will rip out his spark!"

"Aw, that's sweet of you Starscream." I said, putting a loving hand against the interior of the cockpit, and I giggled when he trembled. "Are you ticklish?"

I felt his amusement, "Maybe."

I began to playfully touch the rest of the interior. Starscream laughing all the while, "Stop!" He would cry out in between laughter, but I didn't stop. This was just too funny. Mainly the fact that I knew where Starscream's ticklish spots were now. Now I had an advantage over him in a way. I myself began to giggle, imagining the look on his face. I couldn't control my laughter at the thought of a bot like Optimus having ticklish spots, or Megatron. I transmitted these thoughts to Starscream and he laughed along with me again. Then I squealed as I felt an electric shock of sorts. Not a painful kind, but it was like...

"Starscream you meanie!" I whined playfully. He had a way to get back at me! Not fair! "Take this!" I moved my hands all over the glass of the cockpit and Starscream began to fly all funny.

"I'll- I'll stop if you will!" he called between laughs.

"Fair enough." I said, stopping my hands from roaming the cockpit again, and catching my breath when Starscream stopped. I looked out the space and saw that the sun was beginning to rise.

"We'd better get back to my house before mom wakes up." I said sadly, but also yawning. I'd been up all night to see Starscream. Not that I regretted it, of course. I smiled and I could see Starscream smiling in my mind. I sighed when he was hovering over the roof to my house again. Then the glass above me rose and I jumped down.

Starscream transformed, ducking down so he was level with the roof. I reached a gentle hand towards his face, before reaching both arms out in an imitation of a hug.

"I'll miss you." I whispered, knowing he could hear me. "And I you." he replied.

He leaned forward so that I could touch him, "A present." I said this as I kissed his face. I could feel his happiness when I did this.

He leaned back, and I could see his faceplates had a bluish tint to them, the same colour as energon. I smirked a little bit "Are you blushing?" I asked in a serious voice.

He turned his head to the side, in a defiant pose, "N-no, I'm not." The blue spots on his face getting bluer. I raised an eyebrow as if to say 'Really?'

"S-so what if I am?" he asked, and I dropped the serious face and grinned. "It's okay to blush sometimes." I said, still smiling.

Starscream turned around and transformed, and flew off into the morning light. _Goodbye my love. Until next time._

* * *

**Yay~ The sequel is up! I hope that you like what you read, Starscream's Prime and I share credit in writing. Reviews will make us happy :)  
**


	2. Heart

_**Author's Note: I DO NOT own ANY of the characters in Prime. I only own Maddie and Mylah. That's it, end of discussion.**_

_**Credit goes to both me and Starscream's Prime.  
**_

* * *

Heart

Starscream's POV:

I internally cried. I hated the fact that she had to live in a place where there were so many humans, so many rules, that kept us apart for six days of every week. But at least I could call her. I sighed. She would be asleep by now, Maddie did stay up all night after all. Then shots fired behind me._ Dear Primus._ I thought, barrel-rolling to avoid the laser fire from those damned drones.

I had to fly my fastest to get away from them. Sadly, I didn't know how far I was until I found myself somewhere in the middle of the country the humans called America. I saw a blip on my radar, telling me that there was energon near here. My tank began to irritate my systems. _Of all the times my tank decides I need to refuel._ I thought in a growl. _I just hope that it's untapped or that it belongs to the Autobots. Otherwise I'm royally fragged._

I came to a forest and transformed into my bipedal form and followed the blip on my radar. I soon came to an entrance to a cave, I shook my helm in miserable amusement. It was the same cave that Megatron had taken me to, trying and failing to extinguish my spark. I shook off the memory, and made my way through the cave. I was dark, like the humor in Megatron's eyes when he looks at me. I took a servo to my helm, _I'm not a Decepticon anymore._ I reassured myself. I began to cry. Then what was I now? An Autobot? No, they didn't quite accept me. Neutral? Possibly. I wasn't really sure. Decepticon programming still existed in my processor, but it wasn't as forceful as it would have been, if not for the bond I have with Maddie. I felt her calm. I smiled,_ I guess I have what they call a 'heart' now. I actually care_. I silently thanked Primus for his gift, remembering my prayer before I first met my love. _She saved me, in more ways than one._

My tank again irritated me. I laughed. I needed to refuel, and it seemed that the cave was completely stripped. Oh well.

I walked out and transformed again, and flew away from this sad pit, feeling for the first time since I left them, free

* * *

**Sorry that this was a short chapter... I'll put up the next one tomorrow to balance things out.  
**

**Starscream's Prime and I thank you for reading and reviewing :)  
**


	3. Love and Time

_**I DO NOT own ANY of the characters in Prime. I only own Maddie and Mylah. That's it, end of discussion.**__**  
**_

_**Credit is shared with Starscream's Prime  
**_

* * *

Love and Time

The earth shook, and it heaved, causing natural disasters all over the world. Maddie stared at the old television, mouth gaped open at the news. She sensed Starscream above the roof and went out to see him, intent on asking about the recent abnormalities. The glass to the cockpit opened, "We have to leave! Get all that is important and get in."

Maddie ran inside and grabbed some clothes and other things and stuffed them into a backpack. She then ran back outside, which was now raining, and jumped into Starscream.

"What's going on? Does this have to do with all the natural disasters going on?" Maddie asked worriedly. Starscream said nothing as he flew straight up into orbit. Maddie grew worried a little bit more. "Starscream, say something, please." she begged.

"I had heard some recent radio chatter and the world is coming to an end." he said this grimly. Maddie gasped, her family was down there!

"What is causing this?" she asked, now frantic.

Starscream was quiet for a few moments. "I have reason to believe it's involved with the prophesied planetary alignment."

"How do you know of this?" Maddie asked. She suddenly remembered the last three episodes of the cartoon. She stayed silent, not wanting to accidentally reveal anything of the future. "When the 47 spheres align, a perpetual conflict will culminate on a world forged from chaos, and the weak shall perish in the shadow of a Rising Darkness." she whispered from memory. Starscream was surprised to say the least.

"How do you know about the Covenant of the Primes?" he asked, unable to contain his vocoders before it slipped out. _Oops._ Thought the half human.

"Starscream, this is going to make you think that I'm crazy, but please hear me out. Do you remember when I first met you, how I knew who you were?"

"Yes, I was meaning to ask about that." he answered. Maddie inhaled deeply for a moment.

"The reason why I knew you _then_ was because... ugh I'll just come out and say it. There's this TV show called Transformers Prime, and it tells the story of how the Autobots and Decepticons on Earth are in a battle over the Energon deposits." she said as fast as she could. Starscream thought his logic processor might glitch out like that Autobot Tactician's did on a near-daily basis (Prowl). That did explain a lot, but how on Cybertron - or Earth - was it possible? He continued trying to think around it, and he twitched with a yelp when Maddie poked a _particularly_ sensitive part of his interior.

"Sorry, I was trying to talk to you and you didn't really respond." Maddie said apologetically. She sighed, and took off her mask, showing her true form. Maddie murmured something that Starscream couldn't translate, and a bubble appeared around her head. "Space suit tech." she laughed. "Does wonders when you're an alien."

Starscream knew she wanted to get out of him, so he transformed and Maddie was holding onto his hand so she couldn't float away. She looked up at her love and smiled. "_How about a walk on the Moon?_" she asked in a comm. Starscream internally smiled.

"That sounds like a_ very_ good idea." he said. Then he began to walk on the surface of the moon, with Maddie in his hands. She had a smile on her face, and she stared off at Earth. Through the bond, Starscream could feel her utter elation at seeing Earth from afar. Even he had to admit the planet was beautiful from a distance.

_It's amazing, isn't it?_ Maddie asked through the bond._ To think that I actually live down there, with so many other people._

"Yes, it is, Maddie. I have a bad feeling though, about what may be in the future." Starscream answered aloud. Maddie nodded, her expression darkening a little bit.

"Your instinct is telling you right, Starscream. I can't tell you the details, but any chance we have of survival lies either out here for a few days, which is a bit inopportune, or going with the Autobots for the same amount of time." she said, trying to not relive too much of her memory of the show. Starscream looked down at her. He could tell she was hiding something.

A thought entered his processor, he realized that Maddie would die long before he would, but that was if she was human. But she was more than that, she had Petromann DNA in her, so he had no idea how long she could live for. He looked at his love, and he accidentally let embarrassment go through the bond. Maddie looked at Starscream, "What is it Star?"

He could feel his faceplate getting warm, "Um. I need to ask you something."

Maddie's eyes had curiosity in them, "What is it Star?" she asks tentatively. Unwilling to speak it aloud, he spoke his thought in her mind. She smiled uncertainly.

"I don't know how long I'll live for, to be honest." she answered with a slight laugh. "But I have been told by my sister that we could live for several million years. Of course we could still die if we get injured enough, or something similar to that, but we wouldn't die of old age for a very long time." Starscream stared at Maddie, he had never heard of the Petromanns, he wanted to learn as much as he could from her. But he knew that it could take too long, and he looked up at the blue and green planet above. Maddie did the same and she sat down. He could feel her sadness as she continued to stare up.

Starscream sat next to her and sent comfort through the bond. She turned her head and smiled. "We'll live through this." Starscream comforted her with his words. He looked at the planet and saw clouds swirling over one of the landmasses.

"_...Our leader's recent behavior has been questionable at best. And it would seem as though Earth, has become nothing short of a failed experiment._" Airachnid's voice crept over Starscream's audio receptors and sent chills down his whole frame.

"_Commander Airachnid,_" Knock Out's voice came in, "_You're not suggesting that we,_ abandon,_ Lord Megatron?_"

Starscream ignored the rest of the conversation, focusing more on the half-human he was withis, who began laughing for no apparent reason. "What's funny?" Starscream asked, surprised.

Maddie smirked.

"Soundwave's gonna beat up Airachnid when she tries to take over." she snickered. Starscream was completely baffled for a moment before he remembered what she'd said a little while ago, about Transformers. Starscream then remembered that the spider 'Con wanted to leave behind Megatron.

"Hey, look!"

Maddie pointed up at the planet and what happened was like a miracle, the swirling clouds disappeared and the planet's atmosphere cleared. Maddie knew what had happened, and Starscream sort of did, after a small bit of peeking into Maddie's thoughts, he apparently couldn't tell what she was thinking. _I guess you have figured out how to hide what you think._ He smiled.

"Hey, I have things I'm afraid that you can't know about just yet." Maddie said this playfully as Starscream transformed into his alt mode. Maddie jumped in and Starscream carefully entered the atmosphere.

"I just hope that my mom won't freak out about where I have been." Maddie half laughed this, "I just hope that she doesn't think that I got kidnapped again."

Starscream mentally laughed. _No, we don't want that now do we?_

And so the twosome went down to the now peaceful planet below.

* * *

_**Yeah so, this fast forwards a little bit, sorry if any of you got confused. Starscream's Prime and myself love the reviews, keep sending them. :)  
**_


	4. Mistakes

_**I DO NOT own ANY of the characters in Prime. I only own Maddie and Mylah. That's it, end of discussion.**__**  
**_

_**Credit is shared with Starscream's Prime  
**_

* * *

Mistakes

My POV:  
I sat up bolt straight. It was strange, because Starscream shouldn't be here until tomorrow. Unless-

He was being attacked! By who though? Then I felt his fear and sensed his thoughts._ You can't have it, it's not my fault it got blasted to the pit and back._ I could hear his thoughts clearly for some reason. A sensation that felt like being tasered went through my body. Then there was a burning feeling at the side of my torso.

I lifted up my sleeping shirt, there wasn't a spider. I traced my hand to where the burning was. It was a line on my side that went from the bottom of my ribcage to the side of my hip. Then the burning stopped, and I felt something, strange. Then I remembered that this was where Starscream's T-cog got stolen. I could swear every form of cursing in the form of human, Cybertronian, and Petromann. All towards that fragging, slag-sucking, son-of-a-bitch Silas.

He _will_ pay.

I tried reaching out to Starscream, but then remembered he was unconscious at the moment. I sighed. This was the part where things would get a bit bad for him. In a few words, the insecticon, Airachnid (damn her!), treacherous clones, and so on. I sighed, I needed to stay awake to confirm that he was alright.

_What to do when your love is out cold and lost an important part to them?_ I laughed at this thought. Oddly enough, I could feel the bond, beating, like it was alive. I closed my eyes and saw Starscream's spark, I reached out to it, and found myself in the same tunnel as the last time we, were connected.

"Star?" I openly called out the nickname I had given him when we were on the moon. I found his form, or, a shadow of it at least. He seemed to be thrashing about, completely oblivious to me. Starscream turned around and looked past me, fear was in his eyes and fear was in the bond as well.

"NO! DON'T!" he reached out and then he collapsed into my arms. He began to sob as everything became white.

I stared up at the white ceiling of my room. I sighed, this was the last day of school before spring break. In two days, it would be the anniversary that I a became a Petromann, or at least I look like one. But what the frag, for some odd reason, Starscream had shut me out, and I could only feel his shame.

(fast forwarding a few hours)

I sat in the stall, legs drawn up to my chest to hide any indication that I was occupying. Phone in hand I called Miko. Yes I still had her number when I sent myself the picture she took of us. Her end of the connection echoed until she picked it up.

"Hello? Who is this?" her voice gave me some sense of relief.

"Miko." I paused. "Do, you remember who this is?"

Her end was silent for a few moments, she was probable flipping out right now because someone had her number. God and Primus alike, I could easily imagine the look on her face. "How do you know who I am?"

I smirked, this was too ridiculous. "One picture, and we're leaving."

"Maddie?" she asked/demanded. "Where the frag have you been all this time?"

I laughed out loud. "Stuff has happened between me and Star."

Miko giggled a bit, like a girl who just caught a bit of juicy gossip. "Like what?" she asked, her voice hinting at things I'd rather not mention. I blushed and shook my head.

"Nothing like that." I promised. "More of... wait, what's been happening with the bots in the past while? I'm honestly curious." I then asked.

"Right." She said excited. "Well, Bumblebee's T-Cog was stolen by a bunch of humans, and we've been finding a bunch of cybertronian artifacts around the world. The bots already rescued the T-Cog though. It was so cool! I mean, everybody was worried that the T-cog wouldn't work anymore and then Bee was like 'Bam!' Epic car!"

I frowned slightly, remembering Starscream's involvement at that point. "Did Bee happen to mention Starscream at all?" I asked, though I knew pretty well that he was involved.

"Yeah. Apparently your boyfriend shot his T-cog." Miko said, somehow sounding teasing and annoyed at the same time. I blushed at the word 'Boyfriend' then grew annoyed and angry. The Autobots had helped us when we needed it, so why would he do that? I had hoped that wouldn't happen, but I guess sometimes things just have to happen. I got out of the stall and into the hallway of the school.

"Miko." I said this sternly. "I need a Ground Bridge." I could hear her yelling at Ratchet, or someone to get me a bridge. I heard some arguing and more yelling. The portal appeared in front of me and I jumped through.

"What's going on?" I asked the moment I entered the base. The Autobots were gathered, as were the kids and Mrs. Darby. Everybody but Miko looked at me curiously._ She_ knew why I was here. I think.

"What do you mean 'What's going on?'" Arcee asked. I sighed, looking to Bee. "Did he give you any reason as to why he was involved with MECH?" I asked sadly. Be bleeped and shook his head.

"/He was _really_ off. He wasn't acting like himself./" Bee had said. That worried me even more. _What's gotten into him?_ I thought, shaking my head. "I'll... I'll talk to him next time I see him." I said, looking at the ground, not meeting anybody's gaze for a few seconds. Then I looked to Ratchet. "Bridge me back?" I asked quietly. Without a word, the medic nodded and the Ground Bridge opened. I walked through it quickly and back into the empty hall. Once again I tried reaching through the bond. Nothing. Just the same as the last time I tried, I only felt shame from the other end. And guilt. I went to my locker and grabbed my things, then began the short walk to my home.

* * *

Starscream's POV:  
I absolutely hated myself. Why did I have to be so stupid as to try my luck with that fleshbag Silas. I had good reasons to join them, I was desperate. Having a hard time finding energon, now my T-cog was gone as the price. Why did it have to be before the day I had to see her.

I tripped and fell on my faceplate. A growl escaped my throat. "Frag it all!"

I needed to see her, my love, Maddie. An intake left me. Maddie was still trying to reach out to me, but how could I speak to her now, after what I'd stupidly done? She could have already known it would happen, if she knew about them before she met them. Why did humans have to be such fraggers like this group here? _But not all humans are like them._ A small part of my processor reminded me. I sighed as I realized this was true; Maddie was a prime example of that. Even if she was only half human. I heard my comm system, letting me know that she was calling. I had to give up the silent treatment. "Ma-"

"Starscream, you're alright!" She half yelled, half exclaimed. "I- I thought..." Her sadness and relief forced its way to me, and I allowed comfort to pass through.

"I'm fine, my love." What was I to do, now that flight was taken away from me? We had to see each other, otherwise, otherwise...

I didn't allow myself to think what could go wrong if we stayed too far apart for too long. Then an idea entered my processor. The Harbinger. If I could get there, and I find Ground Bridge technology, we would never have to worry about distance. Maddie's agreement on my idea came through. I checked my navigation, and saw that it would be about five days' walk. Disappointment came through, amusing, she could live for millions of years, and yet she can be so impatient.

"Hey, it's apart of being human." Maddie startled me and I laughed.

"Well." I started. "I'll be as fast as I can." She hung up and I began the long journey ahead of me, hoping, just hoping, that I wouldn't be too late.

* * *

_**Oo, cliffhanger! Will Starscream make it in time to see his love? Starscream's Prime and myself love the reviews, keep sending them. :)  
**_


	5. Need

**I DO NOT own ANY of the characters in Prime. I only own Maddie and Mylah. That's it, end of discussion.**_**  
**_

**Credit is shared with Starscream's Prime  
**

* * *

Need

My POV:  
My chest so hurt badly. Mom had reason to believe that I was extremely ill. But I knew the real reason. Starscream was far away, and the distance was making us weak. Calm went through the bond. I swore to Primus that I would kill Silas myself if I ever meet him. My phone began to buzz beside the box that served as my bedside table. I picked it up. "Hello?"

"Maddie." I heard Starscream. "There is a Ground Bridge, I can send you one now."

The swirling vortex came into view in my room. "Maddie, are you sure?"

I turned my head and saw Mylah, her green eyes piercing. "Why do you trust him so much?"

I stared at her, why did she have to be so weird about other people. "It's the same reason I trust you." Mylah's eyes changed shades. She sighed and walked over to me, laughing all the while.

"Alright." I sensed her thoughts, I could see why she didn't trust Star. All she knew about him until last year was that he was some crazy 'Con and that he couldn't be trusted,_ especially_ when he and I switched bodies.

But we needed each other.

Mylah started to piggyback me to the vortex. We passed through and we were now in the large crashed ship. The bridge closed behind us and we found Starscream kneeling before us.

Mylah carefully put me down into his waiting hand and she disappeared. The pain eased away as my love put me near his spark. "Are you alright my love?" I sent love in response to his question, and he smiled.

"I missed you." I whispered. _Ha! What an understatement._ I inwardly thought. Starscream chuckled in reaction to my thoughts. I felt tired, for it was almost midnight at my house. I hadn't been able to sleep since last week, and now, I was with my love. I closed my eyes. "Good night." And then I was swept away into darkness.

* * *

Starscream's POV:  
I watched as my bonded drifted off to sleep. I could tell by the dark rings under her eyes that I was not the only one who suffered from the distance between us. For several hours I merely watched my love sleep against my chestplate contentedly, before I felt her fidgeting in her sleep.

"No.. don't go.." she whispered, yet she was still unconscious. A dream? I thought, gently probing into Maddie's mind to see what the cause of her distress was. But, surprisingly, I was blocked out. It was Maddie's doing, yet it seemed to be automatic, like it wasn't actually her doing it. Then I grew worried. But then she mumbled something. "Starscream..." she then spoke in that strange language. "Meru dein nuav." She seemed to be happy saying this. I smiled. My systems started to irritate me, I needed to recharge. I rested my helm on the floor and fell into a peaceful rest.

* * *

**Hello! Sorry that this is a shortie of a chapter, I'll make it up to you as soon as we get a review. (bribery lol :P)  
**


	6. Discoveries

_**Author's Note: I DO NOT own ANY of the characters in Prime. I only own Maddie and Mylah. That's it, end of discussion.**_

_**Credit goes to both me and Starscream's Prime.  
**_

_**Enough of the lovebirds, let's see what everybot else is doing.  
**_

* * *

Discoveries

_The Nemesis_  
Knock Out's POV:  
I looked at the data pad over and over again. It wasn't possible! It just wasn't!

Starscream's bond was with Maddie. But Maddie wasn't really human either. She was a silicon-based lifeform. I prayed to Primus that no one would find out.

"_Knock Out._" I heard Megatron call out my name. "_We have a new Decepticon among our ranks, I suggest that you came along to welcome him._"

I rolled my optics, why the frag did he have to almost always interrupt my work? "Yes, Lord Megatron." I hid the data pad and made my way to the command deck, my partner Breakdown came to my side. I then saw a rather large and bulky Decepticon, with yellow accents on a blue frame. If his wings were anything to go by, he was a seeker, or at the very least, a flier. This new Decepticon walked right up to us. Unsurely, it seemed, he held out a servo. "Dreadwing." he said.

I shook his servo. "Knockout. This is my associate, Breakdown." I introduced my 'partner in crime' as some called us, and the two mechs shook servos. Then I internally groaned as Airachnid walked up. I wasn't particularly fond of the spider. So, without a word, I began to walk away with Breakdown, trying to be all casual about it.

"What's with you Knock Out?" Breakdown asked. "You've been acting really strangely since Starscream escaped." He had no idea. Especially since now that I know that Starscream -a cybernetic- and Maddie -an organic- are sparkbound. Frag, I need to talk to the human. "Knock Out?"

I gave my partner the straight face. "Yes Breakdown?"

Breakdown made a dramatic sigh. "Are you on to something?" Damn. I really liked the mech, but he was only a little too annoying at times. I let out an intake and left him in the hall. I really needed to speak to Maddie. Sadly I had almost no way of contacting the little femme. Except- She gave off her own energon signature. I smiled. _I guess I need to get to work._

* * *

My POV:  
School just ended and I had just gotten out of the front doors to my middle school. What do I find? A _very_ familiar red Aston Martin, parked ten feet away from me. If this was supposed to be some trick to capture me, then the Decepticon's are getting stupider every day. I ignored the car and began to walk home. Then the car begins to follow me! Primus, why did it have to be_ him_ that found me. I did my best to ignore him as I walked, but eventually the constant revving of the engine annoyed me.

"Fine! What do you want Knock Out?" I growled, glaring at the red car. The door opened. "To talk. Please." I'm pretty sure that's the first time he's said please to a human. I sighed, before reluctantly getting into the Aston Martin. The door shut behind me, and he began to drive. It had been several minutes before either one of us talked.

"Okay, Knock Out, I'll bite. What's the deal?" I finally asked, having grown impatient in the silence.

"I need to know what you are." That was all he said for the moment. Then I heard him sigh. "You're not _really_ human are you?"

I stayed silent. Dammit all. He found out.

"And." He paused, like he was frightened. "You're bound, to, _him_." Now this irritated me, not _only_ did he now know that I wasn't just human, he also knew that I was bound to Star.

"What's it to you?" I snorted. What was I to do when you're in a Decepticon?

"Call it a_ medical interest_ if you will." Knock Out replied. I scoffed slightly.

"A _Decepticon_, interested in a_ human_?" I fake gasped before rolling my eyes again. This was just all too funny, I knew Knock Out as the awesome medic that didn't give a crap about what he looked like. With his big, badass partner, Breakdown. But the guy did help us out when we had to escape. "Maddie?"

I jumped a little, the guy remembered my name. I sighed. "What do you want?"

Knock Out was silent. I needed to get his attention. An evil smile came on my face and I put a hand on the dash board. I expected something like Starscream's reaction, but it wasn't exactly what I expected. The mech shivered slightly at the touch. "_Don't_." he ordered. His voice sounded husky, and I instantly pulled my hand back, almost horrified.

"Sorry! You said my name and then you didn't say anything!" I grouched, crossing my arms in a huff, blushing in embarrassment. I heard something like a chuckle come out of the mech. Then I just realized that we were out of the town, and on our way to the desert landscape. "Where are you taking me?" I asked/demanded.

"Somewhere private." Was all he said as out of nowhere, a giant, ominous ship appeared out of the clouds above us.

_Aww shit, I knew it._ I thought bitterly as a yellow lift-looking thing appeared out underneath. "I thought that you were different when you let us get out!" I yelled at the mech. "Don't tell me that aftshaft Megatron caught you."

Knock Out said nothing and transformed with me in his hand. I huffed and crossed my arms, why the frag did that have to happen? I sensed Starscream's worry. _Don't worry, I'm fine._ I sent the thought to my love, but doubt came through. I hadn't noticed that we were inside the ship until Megatron's voice came to me.

"Good job Knock Out." His frightening stare was pointed to me, and I sent a glare in return, glaring at both mechs furiously. And like the child I was, I stuck out my tongue at Megatron and flipped him the middle finger. He raised an optic ridge at me, amused and annoyed at the same time. "Well it seems the little femme has no manners." He took me in his large hands and began to squeeze me. _Very hard._ I gasped for air, but then I enclosed myself in blue crystals and then spikes speared his hand. That was a defensive thing that I had almost no control over sometimes. And since I did it when Megatron was trying to basically kill me, well, what was I to do?

I opened part of the shell and saw three things on Meg's face: pain, anger, and bloodlust. "Uh, I'm sorry?" He didn't answer, and continued glaring at me. "It's not my fault, okay? It's an instinctual self-defense thing!" I snapped. I retracted the spikes and just prayed to Primus that Megatron wouldn't kill me. But all the monster did was drop me to the floor and the rest of the shell broke away.

Knock Out picked up one of the shards. "I'm gonna analyze this stuff, be right back." And he left me with his insane leader. Megatron picked me up, this time by the hood of my jacket and brought me to a brig.

"You shall stay here femme." That was all he said as he dropped me to a platform and an electric shield formed around the platform. The leader then left me there.

I hated this so much, Starscream would flip out if he knew I was here, oh wait, he already does. My phone buzzed in my pocket, I looked around and hunched myself into a ball and I took out my phone. "Starscream."

"Maddie, what the frag happened?" I could tell he was relieved both through the phone and the bond. "If only I had my T-cog..."

"Don't beat yourself up Star." I heard footsteps and hung up. I turned my head and found Soundwave. Frag.

The spy held out his hand. He wanted my phone, and I was not intending to give it up that easily. "No." I put my phone into my pocket. And the spy kept his hand held out, what was odd about the moment was that I felt like being watched since I came aboard, but when this 'Con was in my presence, that feeling was gone. I turned around and crossed my arms. "No means no."

"Madeleine Wren." I heard Starscream's voice and I realized that came from when we switched bodies. I raised an eyebrow. "Using Starscream's voice isn't going to change anything. _No. Means. No._" I growled the last part. Everything was quiet for a few seconds, me glaring at Soundwave, and Soundwave's mask not betraying whatever expression he wore on his faceplate.

"You _dare_ defy my orders?" Megatron's voice said. I nodded mutely, still scowling a bit.

I decided to be a smartass about it. "You didn't order me, you were requesting me." I mentally laughed at whatever expression that I imagined the spy had on. Then I thought I could frighten him and took off my mask like the idiot I was.

Soundwave just stared at me. I saw one of his tentacles extend out to me. I shrieked and backed up against the far wall thing of the bubble. I did _not_ like those tentacles. I closed my eyes, thinking that I would get choked by the purple mech. Minutes went by and I opened my eyes to see that Soundwave had his screen-face no farther than three feet away. I tried to put some distance between us but I was already against the wall of the bubble. Then I frowned. Why was Soundwave being a creeper? _Oh, right. He wants me to give him the cellphone._ I thought, facepalming. But I felt my hand being touched by something. I looked down and saw a much smaller tentacle probing gently at the hand that was holding my phone. I frowned and pulled my hand away from it.

"Y'know, this thing is my _only_ contact with my mother, and if she thinks I've been kidnapped like she did last time there's gonna be hell to pay." I said dumbly. He probably didn't care about that, considering technically I_ was_ kidnapped. The tentacle moved away from my phone and came to my face. "What? This is what I really look like." Soundwave just stared. I stared back and I could swear that I could see the outline of a pair of optics glowing.

The spy left me alone to myself. What was up with him? I sighed and realized that I was getting after effects to the adrenaline. Why did it have to suck being human sometimes?

I put the mask back on, curled up and went to sleep.

* * *

Soundwave's POV:  
It was so strange to see the little human turn into something like that. But it happened. It had taken me some time to find out who this human was. She was only fourteen, had two creators, one of them died when she was just nine. I had taken a picture of her and sent it through the data files of the ship as a personal record of sorts. A file came across my mask. It opened and I read through the file. My optics became wide as I read through it. I thought they didn't exist any more! Petromanns are only legend. But it seems that they are still out there. Another file came up. It had Shockwave's name on it.

* * *

_The Decepticon scientist Shockwave has been trying new ways of making the perfect warrior. He later became obsessed with the Petromanns, a strange race of creatures that have almost the same energy signature as energon. The race also called themselves Krystallians, for their crystal-like body. When Megatron found their planet, he tried to mine the energon there. He destroyed the planet in the process and killed the inhabitants as well. No one knows if they still live amongst the stars, and have fallen into legend._

* * *

I closed the file. Knock Out had a shard of the femme, and he seemed as interested as I was to the human- wait. What if she was only part of her species? That I could find out later, I needed to see to Knock Out.

* * *

**So we now know some more about what Maddie. I thank Sakiko for reviewing and allowing you all to get a double-update :)  
**

**Starscream's Prime and I thank you for reading and reviewing :)  
**


	7. Freak

_**Author's Note: I DO NOT own ANY of the characters in Prime. I only own Maddie and Mylah. That's it, end of discussion.**__**  
**_

_**Credit is shared with Starscream's Prime  
**_

* * *

Freak

Starscream's POV:  
I needed to find her. She was asleep. At least she was fine. I could only guess where the warship was at. It could be anywhere in this planet's sky. But my tank was being an aft as usual. I looked up in the cave and I saw a glowing scrap of energon. But the scrap was high up on a wall. I dug my clawed servo into the rock and began to climb. I growled. "How is it that I have been reduced to seeking energon scraps." I pulled out the scrap. "Merely to survive." I lost my footing and fell on my chassis. Groaning, I got up.

Then I heard a strange noise enter the cave.

I could swear that I almost had a spark-attack. I followed the sound and found something that I thought was left behind on Cybertron. "An Insecticon, on Earth?" It then dug out a large scrap of energon. _How could it have such an easy time finding energon?_ I thought irritably. It took me so long to just find this pathetic scrap! Then an idiotic idea came in my processor, it could still take my command if it came from Cybertron. I approached it. "You there, scavenger, deliver that energon to me." It turned around, ignoring me. I growled. "You dare turn your back a superior life form? I,am Commander Starscream!" I hit the beast and then it turned back to me.

Using one of its arms, it swiped at my helm and I dodged it by a micrometer. Yelping in fear all the while. It continued to try and offline me and I was backed into a small crevice and it still tried to get me! "Fine! Keep the energon! I hope you choke on it!" It roared at me. Oddly enough, it turned around, and I was able to calm myself. That was terrifying! I heard a voice that I had hoped that would never again reach my audio receptors.

"Yes minion. Approach me." Oh how much I hated Airachnid. "Obey me." Damn that slut of a femme. I crawled to the entrance of my little 'hide out' and I saw the beast bow down before the wretch. And then it offered the energon it had to Airachnid! I felt my own energon boil. Oh, how much I hated her.

"What?" I began to crawl out of the hole. "You reject a commander, yet you bow to that wretch?"

"Why hello there Starscream." If looks could kill... "How is the little Madeleine doing? I hope that she and I can play again." That last comment sent pure, undiluted fury through my entire being, and I glared murderously at the spider.

"_Never. Again!_" I spat, clenching my servos into fists. The stupid femme made a mock-disappointed face.

"Oh, that's really too bad. I was hoping we could have a little.. _girl to girl chat_.." Could this spider NOT take a hint? Yes, she could. She was doing this to get a rise out of me. I had to remind myself of that several times. I growled.

"You know, I_ did_ have a_ lot_ of fun tearing off your limbs." How could I ever forget? A secrete glee went through me as I saw anger pass her faceplates. "I'm sorry, I thought I could make you pretty _without_ those creepy legs." She growled. "You did deserve that."

"Get him." Was all I heard her say as the Insecticon leaped on me.

* * *

My POV:  
I sat up, my leg aching like crazy, fear passing through me. The episode Crossfire came to mind. "No..." I pulled out my phone and called Miko.

"Hey Ma-" I cut her off.

"Miko, I need a bridge. Get Raf on here, I need to talk to him."

"O-okay. HEY RAF!" I heard her yell out to the base, then I heard chatter and then I heard movement.

"Hello, Maddie?" I heard the little hacker. I told him to get my coordinates and he said that it would take him a few minutes.

"It's an emergency, just be quick." It was all I said as I pulled the phone away from me. Damn, why did it have to be that episode. I was really tired, even though I had only woken up a few minutes ago.

"Hugh!" I curled up on myself as my leg hurt like crazy, gripping it while it hurt. _Damn that insecticon, I hope that you die a horrible death._ I heard footfall come into the brig. I couldn't look up to see who it was, I only hoped that it wasn't Megatron.

"She's... escaped." Knock Out's voice played out. It was Soundwave. Why the frag would he be here? I cried out, leg hurting even more. I felt something touch me. I could care less if he strangled me. "Where does it hurt?" I looked at my leg and pointed at it.

"I don't know why." I lied. A very small tentacle slithered out and prodded at it. I gave the communications officer a curious look, until I felt a strange tingling sensation. I giggled unwillingly. It was like when Starscream had zapped me and it tickled. Then I frowned.

"Is that supposed to distract me? It's not helping." I was really trying to be bitter, but I had two thoughts in my head trying to push it away; One, I was being tickled. Two, it was freaking _Soundwave_ tickling me. That made a giant 'WTF?' in my head. "That's- n-not helping!" I said while I tried to not laugh. And then finally - FINALLY - the pain stopped. "Was that supposed to be comforting?" I asked, a little annoyed. Why was Soundwave here to begin with? The spy turned its head and then left me, when that happened, a green portal appeared next to me. I looked back to where Soundwave went. "Sorry." I jumped through and began to limp, the pain was still there, but I could care less, I was getting out.

I saw Miko run to me. "Maddie, I thought that you were at your house but then we all began to freak out when we saw that you were on the NEMESIS!" She continued to rant about my safety as we entered the base.

The only people there were Ratchet and Bulkhead. I nodded my head to them. "Ratch, Bulkhead." I continued to limp as I heard a beep and a ping. The two mechs came close to the console.

Bulkhead moaned. "It's Starscream again." I froze mid-step.

"I'll read it." Ratchet opened something that looked like a file. "It says; 'I have information that may come of interest to you. Bring medical kit. If Maddie is there, bring her too.'"

The two mechs stared at me. I shrugged my shoulders. "What? Maybe he's psychic." They continued to stare. Then Ratchet activated the Ground Bridge.

"Might as well come along since you're here." I limped my way to Bulkhead and he picked me up.

"What happened to your leg?" he asked as he walked towards the Bridge. I shrugged. I had to think something up.

"I dunno, when I was on the Nemesis, it just started hurting, and then the Ground Bridge opened." I partially lied, and then we made it through the Ground Bridge. I hopped off Bulkhead's hand immediately after we made it through, and jumped onto Starscream's offered servo.

"Huh. What happened to _you_?" Bulkhead asked, not sounding very concerned. I frowned at him.

"Airachnid attacked me with a fragging Insecticon!" Starscream snapped. Ratchet's optics widened.

"An _Insecticon?_ Here, on Earth? That's impossible." He scoffed. Starscream raised his optic ridge.

"Then how would you explain _this_?" he gestured to the claw-like scratch on his leg. Well, now I saw why my leg was hurting. But then I already knew that. "Not even Airachnid's claws would do _this_ much damage to my armor."

"Well unless you have any-" Ratchet started to speak, but I cut him off. "He can give you the coordinates to where the Insecticon is! Is that better?" I asked a bit angrily.

* * *

Starscream's POV:  
I stared at Maddie. I did sort of know where it was going to be at. I sighed. "It's going to be in this cave, and Airachnid is controlling that monster somehow. Be careful, it tried to chew my leg off!"

Ratchet looked at me with suspicion. Primus dammit, why did everyone in the Autobots have to look at me in that way? They should know that I left them. He bent over. "Where does it hurt?" I pointed to my leg. Ratchet turned his helm to Bulkhead. "Keep watch while I work." He looked at Maddie. "While you-"

"Stay here." I cut him off. "She, I, uh..." I couldn't speak. But Ratchet seemed to know, and he paid no mind to my love. I sighed as she climbed onto my chestplate. Love, comfort, relief, it all coursed through the bond. I sent the same emotions in return. I sighed.

"How come you didn't defend yourself?" This surprised me.

"After I had destroyed the scout's T-cog, Silas wanted me to pay for my, mistake." I did pay, dearly. I gritted my denta as the medic began to disinfect my wound. I could visibly see Maddie jump a little, a grimace on her face.

_Why did you do it in the first place?_ Maddie asked through our bond. I looked at her confusedly._ Do what?_ I asked. She gave me a look before continuing.

_You allied yourself with MECH._ Why? I sighed.

_I needed the energon, and was growing desperate. Knowing the enemy's plan, I lied, so I could get energon for myself, so my spark does not fade._ I explained as best as I could. I could feel her relief, as slight as it was.

"Good. I thought you went Decepticon again, or something." she spoke aloud. Bulkhead and Ratchet looked to her curiously, and she smacked her palm to her face. _Oops, I didn't mean to say that out loud._ She said to me. Ratchet got a knowing look in his optic as he glanced between Maddie and myself. He knew what was going on now. I'd bet anything.

_Like I said, it was an act of desperation. And even then, it didn't go over well, as we know now._ I replied. Maddie smiled at me, but we both winced as Ratchet began to weld my armor back together, having finished disinfecting it. Hopefully the big lug Bulkhead didn't know. The less people or bots that do know, the better.

"So, why her?" I looked at the red and white mech.

"What do you know?" Maddie was now asleep on my chestplate. Did he _have_ to be so intrusive? Wait, that was his job. I stared up at the rock above me, avoiding his gaze. "How long did you know?"

He stood up. "When I saw her jump as I was healing you." That was true, even I noticed. "And when you asked for help earlier."

"Optimus knows as well, you're only the second to find out." I had to tell him, otherwise he'd threaten me with one of his wrenches. I laughed nervously. "Of course, it has to be kept a secret or someone like Megatron will do something, terrible."

"Actually, that's not true." My optics widened, what did he mean? The medic laughed. "I knew the moment you and Maddie went into our base."

Scrap.

"A medic's_ intuition_?" I sneered. He shrugged. "A hunch, from the way you were acting with each other." He answered. I saw a slightly evil grin on his faceplate. "I also looked in on, 'your moment alone.'"

Could I ever get _at least_ a moment of _complete privacy_? "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me."

If Knock Out was here, I'm sure that he'd tell the whole planet, laughing his aft off all the while. Maddie began to shift around in my servo. "Meru dien nuav, Sturakin." She murmured this, but I could hear this clearly. Although, Ratchet seemed to have a strange face.

"Do you know what she said?" I shook my helm. The medic cycled air. "Yeah, I have no idea either." He got up, and walked back to the still open Ground Bridge. Bulkhead passed through. "I'll leave her here with you, have her call for a bridge when she wakes up." Ratchet then disappeared.

_What did she say?_ I wondered. That was the second time she'd muttered something in an unfamiliar language in her sleep. I tried to get up, but pain seared through my leg. Frag, I had to leave, the Insecticon could come back at any moment. Then I heard something. I cocked my head to the side so I could hear better. It was footsteps, tiny footsteps. _Human_ footsteps. Those were soon accompanied by a voice.

"Dammit all, I'm lost!" A young voice growled. It sounded female, about Maddie's age. "Of all the fragging luck. Oh, sure mom, I'll wander away from the house in the middle of the night to pick blackberries. It's not like I'm gonna get fragging lost or anything!" The human stumbled. "SCRAP! Oww! Primus damn it! That fragging hurt!"

I almost laughed as the human girl ranted, but something confused me;_ how did she know cybertronian swears?_ Also, why the frag was she out in the middle of nowhere? She was in potential danger though. I walked to the little femme and saw that she was sitting down, cradling her left ankle. She hissed in pain as she rotated it. Maddie stirred in my servos, and the femme below us tensed.

"Who's there?" she called. Maddie opened her eyes, looking around, until she saw the femme.

"No way! Hannah?" she exclaimed. The femme looked over, her eyes widening until she frowned.

"Maddie? Why are you... HOLY PRIMUS! Why are you in Starscream's hand?" she screamed. Maddie leaped from my servos.

"Uh, I'm sure that you won't believe me if I told you that you're dreaming, right?" she asked. The girl, Hannah, nodded.

"I know for a fact I'm not dreaming. This damn ankle hurts too much." she gestured to her ankle. Then I took in her appearance curiously as a thought hit me. _Why does she know who I am?_ I thought. The girl had dark brown hair to just above her shoulders, tanned skin, and dark brown eyes. Not very odd. One thing that surprised me was her shirt. It was an Autobot insignia with a pair of glasses, a human nose, and a moustache, with the words "Robots in Disguise" beneath it. I rolled my optics. Humourous, but ridiculous. Maddie looked at me.

"Um, how do you two know each other?" What else was I to ask?

"Maddie and I go to the same school." Hannah looked at Maddie. "And I've been wondering what the hell's been happening to you for the last year! I've been calling you so much after your mom told me you disappeared and then you come back a week later only to stay away from all of your friends!" She huffed from her little outburst.

"Hannah." Maddie began hesitantly. "How would you like to know that they all exist?"

Hannah's eyes bugged out of her head. "Seriously? Like I can meet all of them?"

Maddie nodded. Then Hannah looked over to me. She clapped her hands over her mouth, her eyes bugging out even more. Then, she screamed. At first I thought it was out of fear, until she stopped and I saw a huge grin on her face. Then she was talking, almost too fast for me to comprehend.

"Ohmyprimus! It's Starscream! Dude, you're like my favourite Decepticon in the universe!" she squealed. I raised an optic ridge in surprise. I wasn't sure how to respond. Well, really, what can somebody do when they're dealing with a hyperactive teenage human femme?

* * *

Hannah's POV:  
Oh. My. Primus. I cannot believe this is happening! I mean, who would? This was every transformers fan's dream, to meet a cybertronian. I wasn't sure what to say, after my little outburst about how I was a Screamer Fan. Apparently neither did he, because he was just looking between me and Maddie. Speaking of Maddie..

"How did you manage to get involved with the transformers?" I asked, narrowing my eyes, both in confusion and - I admit - jealousy.

"Uh, it's kind of a long story." Maddie replied. I rolled my eyes.

"Um, yeah, I'm used to long stories. Besides, if it involves Transformers..." I trailed off, letting the obviousness of my statement hang in the air. Maddie looked at me like she knew something, dangerous. Then I head blaster fire in the cave. "Maddie, what episode are we at?"

She stared, before her eyes widened. "Crossfire.." Maddie answered. I then looked both terrified and excited at the same time, at least I think I was. That's what I was thinking like, at least. For two reasons. One, I would see Megatron. Two, I would see him kill an Insecticon. My emotions matched those reasons in order - horror and excitement.

"Okay, so, where's that cave?" I then asked, pretending to be bored. Both Starscream and Maddie looked surprised. Damn, my head is going to kill me with questions tonight. Like, how in the hell is this possible? But, I can think of that later.

"That's not a good idea, human, if you're thinking of actually going there." Starscream started to speak. I held up a finger to stop him as I slowly got to my feet. My ankle didn't hurt anymore, thank Primus and God.

"I want to see what's going to happen." I said firmly. Maddie grabbed my arm though as I began to walk past her.

"What about when... they show up?" she whispered. She knew I knew what she was talking about. The Decepticons were gonna rescue Megatron, after he killed the Insecticon and was surrounded by the bots. I shrugged.

"I'm good at staying hidden. How else would I always win at hide-and-seek?" I asked teasingly, referring to when we were younger. I had always been a late bloomer, so up until I was nine, I was the size of a six year old. That made it easier to hide. Starscream didn't look particularly convinced, but Maddie reluctantly nodded. She looked to Starscream.

"Can you take us both to the cave?" she asked. Starscream looked hesitant, and like he very much wanted to say no. But, he nodded, and lowered himself down, his servos palm-up. I limped slightly as I jogged over to him, jumping onto his hand excitedly. I was starting to get hyperactive in my excitement, and struggled to calm myself as Starscream began to walk. I grinned as I thought of the many questions I wanted to ask the seeker. So, I started asking them.

"Starscream, why do your feet have heels?" I asked, barely holding back a silly giggle. I'd always been curious about that. I saw him shrug. Maddie looked at me with some malice. Her face said it all. "What?"

She facepalmed. "No questions. At least not until school." I sighed sadly.

"Aww man." I whined. I heard some fighting and we came to a small hole in the rock. We could see Megatron fighting the Insecticon, Autobots watching and Arcee jumping into a fight to get with her partner's murderer. Starscream placed us down on the the edge of the hole.

"Stay here and stay out of sight." both Maddie and Starscream ordered. I pouted, but did so, watching with silent glee as Megatron fought the Decepticon. The moves were the same as they were in the show, but it looked so much cooler in real life. Then I listened to the exact line from the show after Megatron killed the Insecticon.

"Let that be a warning to anyone who crosses a gladiator, of _Kaon_! Be they Decepticon..." The bots all jumped down from their vantage point, surrounding the Decepticon leader. "Or Autobot!" I frowned as he fell, almost wanting to go down there, but stopping myself. If I did, Maddie would never let me hear the end of it if I got hurt.

"It appears I am unarmed, and at your mercy." Megatron said to Optimus, from the ground, sounding surprised. I didn't hear what he said next, but I knew what it was. I ducked in deeper in my hiding spot when Optimus transformed his hand into a blaster, knowing what was gonna happen next. Sure enough, moments later, the laserfire began.

"The surprises never cease.." I faintly heard Megatron mutter as the drones - and Dreadwing - landed in the cave.

"Oh scrap." Bulkhead muttered. I couldn't hold back a giggle, which, much to my horror, echoed through the cave. I went as far back as I could into my hiding spot, not caring that I couldn't see. Then I waited, listening as everything played out. I scowled angrily as Megatron - after Dreadwing helped him to his pedes - ordered the drones to attack. Dreadwing and Megatron, as the drones attacked the bots, transformed and flew off. I peeked out a little more at that point, because the scariest Con was gone now. I bounced on the balls of my feet excitedly as the Autobots defeated the Vehicons. There was a bit of a silence for a few seconds.

"Where is Arcee?" I heard Optimus ask. That was it. I couldn't help but let out the tiniest of squeals at the baritone voice. There was more silence, and I facepalmed as I realized my stupidity.

"Who's there?" Bulkhead yelled. I waited a few seconds, wondering if I should show myself. But then I thought _what the hell?_ and walked out into plain view. _They_ wouldn't hurt me.

"Uh... Hi!" I said awkwardly. Optimus raised an optic ridge. I then wondered what I should tell them. I mean, tell them what I knew about them. Then I just realized who I was meeting.

"HOLY SCRAP! You're OPTIMUS PRIME!" I screamed, and I winced as it echoed through the cave. "Sorry, it's just..." It was just what? I thought about that a moment. "Yeah, you guys are definitely huge. Oh my gosh. Um... Damn it it's easier to think of something to say when you're not standing face-to-face with the object of your obsession! What the hell! Oh screw it. Hi, my name's Hannah, I'm thirteen, and I'm your biggest fan. The only Decepticons I like are Knock Out and Starscream, and occasionally Megatron. My favourite Autobots are... No, I'm not gonna list those. Oh gods, now I'm rambling like an idiot. Just... go save Arcee." I muttered, smacking my face. Optimus shook his head.

"Arcee, what's your status?" He said this in a comm link.

"_Requesting assistance. I'm fine though._" I heard her voice echo into the cave. I was picked up in a giant hand, and I squealed when I saw it was Bumblebee.

"Oh my primus! It's Bumblebee! You're so adorable, but it sucks that you can't talk." I rambled, smacking a hand over my mouth before I said something embarrassing. He beeped something, but I was disappointed when I realized I couldn't understand him. "Sorry, I'm not Raf." I suddenly felt really tired as my adrenaline rush ended. I yawned.

"Oh scrap, my mom's probably going crazy worrying." I thought aloud. "Wait, no, I just remembered, she was going out just as I left to pick the blackberries. Okay, we're good until tomorrow." And then I was dragged into darkness.

* * *

**One of the longest chapters I think we have ever written. I'm sick today, so there might not be a new chapter up in a while. (Sorry everyone) Starscream's Prime and I share credit in writing. Reviews will make us happy :)  
**

**One more thing; Starscream's Prime owns Hannah.  
**


	8. Story

**I DO NOT own ANY of the characters in Prime. I only own Maddie and Mylah. Starscream's Prime owns Hannah. That's it, end of discussion.**_**  
**_

**Credit is shared with Starscream's Prime  
**

**A/N: I've been sick lately, sorry to say that I might have the dreaded Writers' Block. It might be awhile before we send out another chapter. We thank you in advance for your patience. Enjoy the read. :D  
**

* * *

Story

My POV:  
Crap, what the hell happened to Hannah. My best friend wasn't where we left her. I sighed and looked at Starscream. "She's with the bots, I know it." I pulled out my phone and dialled the base.

"Hello Maddie." I heard Doc Bot's voice come through.

"Hey Ratchet, I need a bridge." The green portal opened. I looked back at Starscream sadly. I didn't want to leave him.

_I'll be fine._ He reassured me through the bond. I nodded and walked through. The instant I made it through I heard a familiar voice talking.

"Ratchet, why did you scan me? I'm fine." Hannah grumbled.

"Because, I'm picking up strange readings, and you hit your head earlier!" Ratchet snapped. I raised an eyebrow.

"What kind of readings would those be?" I asked, drawing everybody's gazes. Hannah looked relieved. She ran over and hid behind me playfully.

"Hide me from the Hatchet!" she whispered. I laughed, and so did she. I heard Ratchet growl though.

"You are an impossible pair!" I heard him mutter. Hannah giggled really loudly, in her hyper giggle. I ignored it though, looking back to the medic.

"Can somebody please tell me about these readings that you were just talking about? I'm seriously curious here." I asked, looking pleadingly at Ratchet.

He grumbled something. Then he looked out to the rest of the crew. "I need to speak to the patients here. All of you must give some privacy." Team Prime left the room and I looked at the medic.

I crossed my arms, friend still behind my back. "What's the problem?"

"Your friend Hannah has more water in her than that is considered normal for humans." He looked at the monitor. "And it seems that her brain activity is above normal as well."

What. The. Hell. Those three words came into my head. I heard Hannah laugh behind me.

"Well, I always knew I wasn't completely normal." she tried to make a joke of it. I frowned at her.

"This _is_ serious, you know." I said scoldingly. She stuck her tongue out at me, before looking up at Ratchet.

"So, what's the possibility here?" she asked, her face draining of all humor. I swear, she's bipolar. She goes from giggly to pissed off in a second, or pissed off to happy, all so quickly it's ridiculous.

"The only thing that comes to mind is..." Ratchet trailed off, probably thinking. Then his optics cleared up, focusing on Hannah. "Nanourta." What? What was that?

"Doesn't that mean something along the lines of water-lover?" Hannah asked, not sounding very believing. I shrugged, and Ratchet nodded.

"The Nanourta were a race of beings from a distant planet, a race of water beings." he answered. I raised an eyebrow. What was he saying, that my best friend wasn't a human? But then, I was a Petromann, so who was I to judge? "But it was more than just being made of water. The Nanourta, as a species, were able to manipulate water, in general, and change their physical form to adapt to the amount of water they manipulate or absorb." Ratchet continued. I just waited patiently through the rest of the explanation, and Hannah got stonier and quieter with each sentence, until Ratchet finished.

"With the information I got from your scan, that's the most likely theory I can think of." he finished. Hannah was quiet for a long moment, staring at the floor of the base.

"So... you mean to tell me, that I'm not human? That everything I've grown up thinking, is a lie?" she whispered coldly, sounding devoid of emotion. I started to get a little worried. I'd never heard her speak like that before, not even when she found out her grandma died. Sure, she'd gone through a little depression, because of how close she was to her, but she'd never been like _this_ before.

"Hannah." I said her name, but she acted like she didn't hear me. "Hannah, look at me." I said, frowning. She locked her eyes with mine.

"Do you think you're the only one not completely human?" I asked, pulling my mask off. Her eyes widened.

"Okay.." she trailed off, her voice squeaking slightly. "Do I have a form like that?" she asked. I shrugged, looking to Ratchet. He, too, shrugged. I looked at her neck, around the same place where my mask ended on my face, and saw a very faint, almost invisible line. I poked at it gently. The line became visible and I carefully put one of my fingers in the line, slightly pulling up. The mask came loose, and the transformation began.

Her skin became a transparent blue color, and and she looked at me with fear. I continued to stare. She had four things hanging from her head, to me I thought it could be the Nanourta's version of hair. Her eyes, which had been brown in her human form, were now emerald-green, and without irises, or pupils. Her entire face was smooth. As far as I could see, she had no nose or mouth. At least, visible ones. She held up her hand, also blue, and wavering, like water. She had four fingers and they touched my face. It was cool, and it calmed me. But then I looked at the mask that was now on the floor. It was transparent compared to my pale mask. I picked it up and put it back on her face, and did the same with mine.

"My god." I looked over my shoulder and I saw Mylah. "I now see why you were good friends in the first place."

Ratchet's face was overcome with shock. "Who are you?" His voice was even.

Mylah walked over the medic, she stood tall as she said this. "I am Mylah Wren. Sister to Madeleine Wren, and I am a Petromann."

We were all silent. I spoke, sighing all the while. "Right, now both of you pick up your jaws from the floor and listen."

So I told the two of them that we were in fact related and that it had to be kept a secret from _everyone_. Then Mylah chimed in.

"The Nanourta and Petromanns have been in good relations for over a million years, then all ties were cut when the planet was destroyed." I blinked, I knew about it but it still made me sad when she spoke of our gone home. "It was destroyed by a monster made of metal. His greed and power lust brought us our home's destruction. Our father fled the planet before it was gone and found this world. He lived here since 1904. He then found our mother and then we came in the picture."

I cut in. "Officially, Mylah doesn't exist. We are twins, but I had more human in me that her and she had to be taken to the spaceship that was our dad's." I started to cry a little, memory coming forth. "Then one day, I was taken to an unknown ship. And a monster with a mechanical voice, did this to me." I gestured my face where the mask was. "But we don't know what else he did to me."

I stopped, tears streaming down my face. I was frightened, I still had no idea the horrible things that, that monster did to me. I felt my hand being held, I looked up and saw Hannah's blurred face. I full out bawled and fell into her hands. She held me close, whispering calming words into my ear, but I didn't make any sense of them as I continued to cry. I felt a metal hand picking me up, trying to comfort me, and I looked up through the tears, trying to see who it was, but I didn't get many details. I only saw a silver frame, with a few red bits. Then I smiled a little bit. It was Starscream, but.. what was he doing here? Not that I minded, or anything. Then I realized one of the bots must have bridged him here, to see me. It was probably Ratchet. I smiled at him.

"Thanks." I whispered, and I fell asleep.

* * *

_I could see nothing. Nothing but blackness. Then I saw a light. It was soft and glowing. I reached out to it. I heard laughter, and I came to realized that it was me laughing. I saw a room, it was filled with many things, a lot of them I couldn't put a name to. I heard more laughter. I followed and I saw that I was in my bedroom. My bedroom when I was five._

_"Ready or not, here I come!" My five-year-old self called out. She ran through the house. "Now, where are you, Hansie?" I blushed when I heard my little self say the nickname we gave each other when we were kids. I heard giggling and I could see her brown hair. She was under a bed. Five year old me looked under the bed. "I found you!"_

_"No fair!" She complained. I saw myself grinning like crazy. Hannah growled. "I'm gonna get you!"_

_The two of us ran around the house and then I looked behind myself. I saw a little girl crying. She had short black hair. I chuckled, she was a mini version of my mom. Then I gasped._

_That girl was-_

* * *

I screamed out. Dream still fresh in my head. "Primus." I muttered under my breath. Wait where was I? I looked around and I recognized the room plastered with posters._ I'm in Hannah's room_. I looked around some more and I saw her asleep on the floor. I could somehow tell that she was awake. I sighed. "Hannah?" She stirred. I remembered the dream. "Hansie?" She sat up bolt straight.

"Oh, hi." she said, looking relieved. "You haven't called me Hansie since we were five." she said wistfully. "I miss those days. Even back then we were in love with Transformers." she sighed, a smile on her face. I nodded in agreement.

"Not like nowadays. Now, we're dealing with finding out we're part alien, and that our obsession somehow exists." I agreed. She laughed slightly.

"So, my mom isn't home for about seven hours, what do ya wanna do?" she asked. I shrugged, and I heard my stomach growl.

"Well, that answers that." I laughed. Then we both got up, walking to the kitchen area. I watched quietly as Hannah got out two bowls, walking over to the cupboard next to the laundry room door.

"What kind of cereal do you want? I'm too lazy to cook." she called. I looked at the shelf, and pointed at the Frosted Flakes. Hannah grinned. "Why am I not surprised?" she asked sarcastically. I smiled. I hadn't had a sleepover, or anything really, with Hannah in what seemed like forever. We ate in silence at the table, watching the occasional car drive past the window in the living room, until the phone rang.

"I'll get it." Hannah instantly said, setting her empty bowl on the computer desk, and running over to the nearest portable phone.

"Hello?" she said instantly into the receiver. As she listened to whoever was on the other end her face reddened. I'm not sure if it was embarrassment, amusement, or anger.

"No Mr. Tessmacher, I didn't set that up. It was the Jones twins." I gave her a curious look before facepalming. The Jones twins were the school-renowned pranksters, and ever since Hannah had been seen just talking with one of them, she'd been regarded with suspicion by teachers. "No, we were talking about math in math class." she said, sounding annoyed. Then she groaned. "I don't do pranks... No, I don't... Ohmygod, Johnny I'm going to kill you! I thought you were the principal!" she suddenly yelled. The twins were also known as the impersonators. Then she laughed.

"Okay, you do that, but I've got to go, I have company. Bye!" she said cheerily before she hung up. Then she laughed again.

"What was that about?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Okay, I thought it was Mr. Tessmacher calling. 'He' asked if I had anything to do with Nyan Cat blaring through the intercom when the bell went, and we both know I can't do that computer crap, but the Jones twins know how. So, I told 'him' that, and he was accusing me of plotting with them in math class, he called me a lying prankster, and when I said I didn't, it went into the 'Yes I did, no you didn't' game, and then I figured out it was Johnny when he started he said he had to do chores." Hannah explained quickly. I pinched the bridge of my nose, shaking my head for a moment.

"That's why you get caller ID." I said, facepalming. "Wanna scare them?" I asked with my evil smile. "I can do some really scary things on the phone." I saw her shudder when I came to the phone. I punched in the number and the phone on the other end rang. A woman answers it. "May I speak to Johnny?"

"Sure."

"Hello?" I heard his annoying voice. I coughed and said this in my scariest monster voice.

"Youuuuuu... Shallllllllllll... PAYYYYYYYYYY!" I said this and I could swear I heard him yelp in surprise. I hung up before he could say anything.

Hannah just looked at me, and I looked at her. Then we burst out laughing and in the hysteria we fell to the floor and giggled about. When we were done, I got up and took out my phone, this time to do something serious.

"Hey, Ratch, can you get us a bridge from Hannah's house?" I asked when the base answered.

"_Yes, I'm tracing your call now.._" came the sighing reply.

"Okay, see you in a sec." I said before hanging up. Hannah looked at me, excitement in her eyes. I grinned.

"So, about meeting those 'Bots..." I trailed off as the Ground Bridge opened, and I barely even started moving before Hannah was running towards the spiralling portal. I could really only hope that Fowler didn't show up. I didn't want the Bots to get in trouble, or kicked off Earth because of us, though the latter was unlikely. The Ground Bridge closed behind me once I made it through, and I grinned at Hannah's back as she bounced on her feet hyperactively, taking in every detail of the Autobot Base. Then she jumped two feet in the air when her phone went off.

'_I'm not gonna stop, that's who I am. I give it all I got, that, is my plan.._' I rolled my eyes at the choice of ringtone.

"Hello?... Oh, hi. Sorry, I'm not home right now... I'm with Maddie... Yes, that Maddie. Okay, well, I'll talk to you later mom... Okay... Bye." Then she hung up.

I heard the sounds of three vehicles from behind us, and I turned around to see the Transformers Prime kids arriving with their respective guardians. Everyone was here except for Optimus. I wasn't really worried at the moment. The kids came out of their guardians (in Jack's case he got off) and they each transformed. All the while Hannah was fangirling over the whole thing, I sighed. The level of insanity was hilarious.

I looked at the monitor that Ratchet was on, then Fowler's face came up. "Is Prime there?"

Ratchet looked at the screen. "No, Agent Fowler, Optimus is not here at the moment." he said. Unsurprisingly, Fowler had an angry look on his face. Then I thought for a moment.

"Oh crap." I whispered. This was the episode where the Autobots meet Optimus' clone, and a lot of bad thing were to ensue for Team Prime. I turned my head to my best friend. "Hey Hannah!"

The brunette turned her head. "Yeah Mad?" I walked to her.

I grabbed her hand. "Hey, how 'bout I tell you that story I promised ya?" My long-time friend nodded, and I took her into the recesses of the base.

* * *

**I'm sad to say that it will be awhile before you get a new chapter. The latest (I'm hoping) should be about four days. Reviews will make us happy :)  
**


	9. Revenge

**I DO NOT own ANY of the characters in Prime. I only own Maddie and Mylah. Starscream's Prime owns Hannah. That's it, end of discussion.**_**  
**_

**Credit is shared with Starscream's Prime  
**

**A/N: So sorry for the long wait. Starscream's Prime and myself had to deal with some family meeting stuff and I was sick, but I fine now and then I got writers block *que horrified gasps* and then I got to Arkansas and now my inspiration came back yay :D  
**

**Enjoy**

* * *

Revenge

"So." Hannah stared up at the rocky ceiling above her. "You somehow switched bodies, got a bond, and now you guys are all lovey-dovey." She turned her head at Maddie. "Did I get it right?" Maddie nodded her head.

"Still." Maddie said this slowly. "It's nice. You know, to have our greatest obsession exist." A loud engine noise echoed in the base. Hannah stared at her friend with a quizzical expression on her face.

"What episode are we at?" Maddie had a look of pure hatred on her face.

"Nemesis Prime." She growled out these words like poison. She began to grumble something, half could be heard. "That fragger... I kill him..."

Then the half humans began to run for it into the main room of the base. Everyone was there. Even Fowler was there too. The girls could only be glad he hadn't seemed to notice their presence, otherwise there would be more trouble than there already was, or ever needed to be. But then_ Hannah_ decided to change the course of the episode.

"It wasn't Optimus! MECH built a replica of him! He was framed!" she yelled, her voice reverberating off the walls multiple times over. Every set of eyes and optics in the room were focused on her. Maddie facepalmed.

"Who is this girl!? How did she get in and why is_ Maddie_ with her!?" The special agent yelled. Maddie stepped forward.

"Sorry about my friend." Her voice was toneless, her face expressionless. "She was caught up in a battle yesterday and I had to tell her what has been going on for the last year or so." Deathly silence hung in the air. Every sentient being intent on hearing more. "So, I couldn't lie to her." Maddie's gaze went to her friend, and she swayed an arm in her direction. "Her name in Hannah, don't forget it."

Hannah frowned. "Oh great. Hello Special Agent Fowler. Yeah, I'm Hannah."

Fowler sighed. "What are you going to do with not one, but two more humans in our custody?"

"Never mind that." Miko huffed. "What are we going to about the Optimus faker?" Hannah spoke up again, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Duh. We find MECH and beat the scrap out of Silas and his Optimus replica, Nemesis Prime." she said.

"Okay, Hannah, right? We have no idea how you know this and we don't know if we can trust you either." Jack chimed in. Hannah glared venomously at him.

"If you're insinuating that I'm allied with that son-of-a-glitch you're sadly, fragging, mistaken." she growled. The group of humans began to bicker. Maddie stood next to Optimus, out of the little ordeal. She sighed.

"OKAY! EVERYBODY BE QUIET!" Maddie looked up at Optimus and she continued to speak. "Now, doubts aside, we need to stop Nemesis Prime and MECH from causing more mayhem. That said, we need to find their hideout." The humans present were now staring at her (sadly in Fowler's case he was glaring at her because he was getting stumped by a fourteen year old). Maddie now had an air of that a commander would have, and she then began to pace around the room like a crazy person, but this was her way of thinking things out. "Now, what do we know that our enemy has and doesn't have."

Optimus spoke. "Maddie, I'm afraid that I don't understand this entirely." Maddie swiveled her head in his direction. The Prime continued. "We don't know if we can entirely trust you at this time." Maddie sighed.

"Alright. But I still want to help you stop MECH using their imposter to make you look like the bad guy and-" The green monitors began to flash as a soldier appeared on the screen.

"Requesting back up to anyone who is getting this." An explosion made the image gain static. "Optimus Prime is attacking the base-" The message was cut. Everyone dead silent.

Miko was the first to speak. "So, this proves that the guy who tried to bump you off was an imposter." Maddie and Hannah nodded simultaneously.

"Told you so." they both said. Optimus walked over to Ratchet.

"Fowler call for a fall back on all personal." The Prime looked to his old friend. "We will need a Ground Bridge." The medic activated the portal and Team Prime rushed through, but in all the excitement, no one noticed a golden-haired girl run through with the others.

Maddie was, to say in the least, angered. But she saw something that made her almost happy,_ almost_.

For there was Optimus' clone, driving away. But Maddie was NOT going to let it get away. She turned her head and looked at the rest of the Autobots, then she ran for it. But the truck was too far and too fast, and she stopped, panting. She felt her phone buzz in her pocket and picked it up.

"MADDIE!" Miko yelled into the phone. "We're starting to freak out here, where are you?"

"I'm... at the base that was attacked." She breathed. "Need... bridge." Maddie then collapsed to the dirt as the swirling portal appeared.

Arcee came from it and found her on the ground. The motorcycle thought that she was injured. But upon closer inspection, she saw the little girl was breathing and fine, Arcee let out an intake and picked up Maddie and brought her back to base. Hannah ran over to her and began to freak out.

"Is Maddie okay? Oh Primus, will she be okay?" She rambled and Arcee place Maddie on a medical bed.

It was Ratchet who answered. "She seems to be fine, just, exhausted."

Hannah seemed to visible calm down at the answer. She nodded and went with the rest of the humans. Silence was ensued for the base, everyone doing their own thing. The kids playing on the clunker of a TV. Ratchet on his monitor and it seemed that Fowler disappeared somewhere in the base.

* * *

_Though she was done running, she couldn't stop. She couldn't tell if she was running from or to something, but it seemed to be important, whatever this thing was. But she didn't need to wait very long, she began to fall, or fly, it was hard to tell. Then she remembered who she was, Maddie, Hannah's friend, Starscream's bonded, and she was Mylah's sister._  
_ Now that she knew who she was, she wanted to get out of this dream and meet reality, but, she also wanted to see more of the dream. This dream was familiar, but it was new all at the same time. "Wait." Her dream self said. "Is... this the fifth time... I've had this dream...?" She was greeted with silence._  
_ "Maddie." A deep male voice called for her name, then more silence._ I want out_. She thought irritable. _  
_ Then she yelled it out. "I WANT OUT! I! WANT!-"_

* * *

"-OUT!" Hannah stared at her friend, she was sleep talking, more like sleep yelling. She sighed, this was somewhat of a normal thing for her to see. But she frowned. It must be a really powerful dream. She thought, remembering the first time Maddie had slept over at her house, the funniest things she said was in her sleep. When she asked her why she did this, Maddie laughed as she answered.

"_When I have strong dreams, whether they are emotional, or very real, I sometimes call out in the real world._" Hannah easily remembered the face of sadness she had when she explained why she spoke in her sleep.

She sighed, and walked to her friend's sleeping form. Hannah noticed that Maddie had a scowl on her face, she stifled a chuckle. Her friend's faces were amusing, to say in the least, if not exaggerated. "Hannah..."

* * *

_"Hannah help me, I know that you're there, just help me out of this mess." Maddie's dream self called out to her friend, she knew that she was there. She let out a huff. "I know you're there, just say my name, please." She then began to wander about in her dream again and she found a silhouette of a broad-shouldered man. She walked closer to him and saw his face. His face! It was the one human she hated the most, Silas. _

_"YOU!" And she lunged at the figure, but she passed right through him. She snarled, and she made an arm-sword in her alien form and lunged at him again, but he moved._

_"How sad, I thought that you would be much smarter." He taunted._

_"YOU SLAG SUCKER OF A HUMAN! I-"_

* * *

"-WILL FRAGGING KILL YOU!" Every pair of both eyes and optics became drawn to the sleeping Maddie. The rest of the human kids joined with Hannah and stared at her. "SILAS!" She continued to yell and her left arm thrashed out, almost hitting Hannah. The humans backed away from Maddie and she sat up, now awake and snarling. "I. Will. KILL HIM!" Her eyes darted around the room, first at Hannah, then the rest of the humans. Her face fell blank, void of emotion, and she got up. "What, happened?" Only her friend heard this, and Hannah took her hand.

"Maddie, you, had that dream, didn't you?" Maddie nodded, and Hannah hugged her. "Good, I thought that you were going to be stuck in it." Maddie then looked at the other kids, and she saw that they wanted to know what happened to her.

She coughed, and Hannah un-latched herself. Maddie nodded her head over to the small group behind them and Hannah turned around, finally noticing the other kids.

"What was that about?" Miko asked, referring to the sleep yelling. Maddie sighed, a little embarrassed.

"A vivid dream. It happens a lot. I remember once she gave me a black eye dreaming about... I don't remember what she was dreaming about that time." Hannah was the one to answer. Maddie groaned, covering her face with her hands.

"I said I was sorry!" She yelled from behind her hands. Hannah laughed.

"And I don't hold it against you. How could I? You don't exactly control your movement when you're asleep, you know. Also, I hate Silas too, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I wish he would just die already. But then the same could be said for my thoughts on Airachnid and Mega-twit." she rambled.

"How do you know all of this stuff? I mean, when Optimus came in you kinda yelled that he was framed." Jack commented. He still didn't completely trust her. Hannah turned to look at him, then to Maddie. Her eyes asked '_Should we tell them?_' She nodded.

"Okay. first off, don't tell the bots, second, there is this show on TV called Transformers Prime and it shows the battles and struggles of the Autobots versus the Decepticons on a race to claim as much energon as possible." Hannah stopped and looked at the kids, their faces were almost comical. She looked at Maddie, and she continued.

"And, well, you could say that we know the future, or vaguely what is going to happen. But since I got involved in all this, I thought that everything would be different, but it seems to be the same as all the other episodes. We won't know for much longer. I mean, we're in Nemesis Prime, the episode, which means that the part of the series that hasn't hit the TV yet is coming up." Maddie finished, and she looked at the audience before her.

"So, what you're saying, is that you know what will happen next, but you're going to run out of insight?" Jack asked, Maddie nodded.

"Sounds 'bout right." It was true, but she didn't want to say anything else, fearful of what bad things could happen. "Wait, where is the rest of the team?"

"They're on reconnaissance. Trying to find that impostor." Fowler answered her question. Then a commlink beeped.

'_Nothin' but tumbleweeds._' Bulkhead commed. Both Maddie and Hannah looked to the screen. Several seconds passed, and the comm went off again.

'_Just a whole lot of empty._' Arcee said disappointedly. The kids - and Fowler - looked like they were losing hope. Not the girls though. They just seemed to be getting progressively angry and excited at the same time. Bumblebee beeped something through his comm as well.

"Bumblebee, proceed with utmost caution." Optimus warned. Bumblebee found it.

"That's it! That's the MECH base!" Hannah blurted before smacking a hand over her own mouth. "Scrap." she whispered. She'd been told by Maddie earlier to not do that. 'That' being blurt out random information at inopportune times. Bumblebee beeped something again, but it seemed he wasn't speaking to the base. Hannah let out a very... _colourful_ stream of cybertronian, english, and even _German_ swears.

"Damn that mother-fragger! Can't we do something?" she demanded. Then she stopped. "I have an idea!" she cheered. "It's a way to differentiate between Optimus and Silas' frankenstein-bot!" she said at everybody's questioning looks. Uncertainty, Ratchet opened the commlink.

"Bulkhead, Arcee, and Bumblebee if you can hear me, this is important! The only way to tell the difference between the real Optimus and the faker , since you can't really see the colours in the dark, look at their optics. Nemesis Prime has yellow optics, understood?" she said quickly, hoping the bots had heard her.

'_Loud and clear, kid. Thanks for the advice._' Arcee was the first to reply. Then Maddie tensed.

"Bulkhead_ turn around!_" she all but screamed.

'_Man, was_ not_ expecting that._' Bulkhead commed after about a minute. Then there was quiet again, and the humans would be lying if they said it wasn't worrying. Ratchet was still tapping away at the giant keys on the computer.

"Whatcha workin' on Doc-Bot?" Hannah asked, walking closer to the edge of the loft. Ratchet barely spared her a glance before returning to typing.

"Trying to find Silas. If I can isolate the correct frequency Silas' remote is utilizing, I should be able to pinpoint his exact location." he explained. She nodded in understanding, zoning out a little bit as Ratchet explained to Miko that Silas was not, in fact, controlling the faker from the inside. She came back to the world when Ratchet yelled "Aha! Frequency isolated."

She got to her feet - she had been sitting on the railing - instantly.

"What are we waiting for?" she exclaimed at the same time Fowler said "Then re-open that bridge." Ratchet looked genuinely concerned as he spoke.

"Agent Fowler, did you not hear Optimus advise against your involvement? It's for your own safety! and you," he looked to Hannah, "You're a child. It would be twice as dangerous for you!" Hannah huffed indignantly at this statement.

"What about that other stuff I can do? Also, I did almost a year of kickboxing, and I've done Karate since I was five." she retorted, referring to her Nanourtian form as 'that other stuff'. Ratchet sighed.

"That 'Other Stuff', as you so eloquently put it, is meant to stay a secret. There's no telling what MECH would do if they discovered you." Now Hannah was full-on scowling.

"Is that concern I'm hearing in your voice? For a human you met not two days ago? Open the damned bridge! Fowler isn't the only one that can run human-on-human interference!" she snapped.

Maddie sighed, facepalming. "You know the 'other stuff' I can do as well, I'll be able to protect them Ratch, so no worries there." she commented. Ratchet let out another heavy - and displeased - sigh before opening the Ground Bridge. Slowly, both Maddie and Hannah pulled off their human masks before practically sprinting towards the Ground Bridge. The kids watched in awe, and Fowler hesitantly jumped through after the girls.

"This is freaky." Hannah commented as they exited the portal. Fowler looked nauseous.

"I think I'm gonna hurl the breakfast I had back in flight-school.." he groaned. There was a loud crash from the south, and the three looked over to see Optimus fly into one of the buildings, Nemesis Prime coming into view a moment later. Fowler's cell phone rang, but the two girls ignored it, already running north.

"It's this way!" Hannah called, and Fowler followed them as he answered his phone, only to have Hannah's statement confirmed by Ratchet. Maddie and Hannah came to MECH's base, waiting on Fowler to hurry up.

"Right, we take out the grunts." he ordered as they began to climb up a drainage pipe of sorts.

"My robot chassis contains all your strength, speed, _and_ firepower." Maddie faintly heard Silas say to Optimus.

_Yeah, but yours doesn't look as cool._ She thought in a growl. An explosion sounded as they came to a balcony with a MECH grunt overseeing the spectacle. The girls inwardly grinned as Fowler took him out, before they snuck into a tiny but opened window.

"Why am I taking the time to climb down? I'm practically made of water, can't I just slide down?" Hannah whispered quietly to Maddie as they went down. Maddie shrugged.

"Try it out if you want." she whispered back. With the smallest of a smile in her green orbs, Hannah did just that, sliding down the slightly curved wall without a hassle. Fowler watched, looking envious. Hannah waited on the floor for Maddie and Fowler to make their way down quietly, making rude hand gestures at Silas' back whenever he spoke. Even though both girls promised they would stay as quiet as possible - they promised themselves - they couldn't help but scream in anger when Silas stabbed Optimus.

"You fragging bastard!" Hannah screamed. Silas turned his head to see all of his grunts on the ground out cold, with two strange creatures and Agent Fowler.

"Agent Fowler, in the flesh at last. And more _aliens_." He sneered the last word. Both Maddie and Hannah growled at that.

"Yeah, we're aliens. And _friends_ with the bot you just stabbed!" Maddie hissed.

"_We're_ here to pull the plug on your little videogame!" Fowler said this as he tried to throw a punch at the broad shouldered man. He dodged the punch easily, sending an elbow to Fowler's back, which sent him to the ground. Neither Maddie nor Hanna could take it any more. They both ran forward. Hannah reached Silas first, literally jumping onto his back and holding on for dear life as she repeatedly hit him for all she was worth. But, water moves, so she wasn't doing much damage. But, it was enough time for Maddie to reach the bugger and tackle him to the ground. And she began to punch him in the face.

"This!" A sickening thwack echoed in the building. "Is for taking Starscream's flight!" But before she could hit him again, more grunts appeared, grabbing her by her arms and lifting her off. She kicked her feet uselessly, trying to get them to touch the ground, but the grunts were holding her too high up. At a glance, she saw somehow they were holding Hannah as well.

"You freaking bastard! You'll never get away with this!" Hannah yelled, her voice somehow sounding musical, even in her fury. The Nanourta were gifted that way.

"So you _do_ speak." he taunted, but the menacing effect was lost because his nose was bleeding and possible broken. Then he noticed the monitor out of the corner of his eye, where Optimus was beating the scrap out of his bot. He rushed over to the computer as quickly as he could, blocking what would have been the end of his bot.

"Yeah! Kick his aft Optimus!" Maddie cheered. Silas briefly scowled at her before attempting to regain control of the bot. Nothing was working.

"You lose, Silas."Hannah whispered as the roof collapsed, and everybody ran, backed up away from the general area where Nemesis was gonna land. Silas though, was trapped, and hopefully, dead.

"Agent Fowler, Maddie, Hannah." Optimus called. All three flinched for a moment before looking up.

"Good job Boss bot!" Maddie and Hannah called. There was the sound of helicopters in the distance, coming closer.

"Those would be our guys. You three should clear out before they get here," he pointed to the girls and the bot before continuing. "I'll handle the suits." Had anybody seen, they would swear that a ghost of a smile appeared on the Autobot leaders face before he climbed down.

"Ratchet, we need a bridge." he commed. Moments later, the swirling green vortex opened, and the three entered.

"You two have some serious explaining to do!" Jack called the instant the Ground Bridge closed. Maddie and Hannah shared a look and a sigh.

"I guess we do. We kinda owe you guys for even letting us go with Fowler." Maddie agreed. Mouthless or not, though, Hannah seemed to be pouting.

"I could have just pulled a Miko and snuck through." she retorted. Maddie rolled her eyes as she put her mask on, reverting to her human form as she passed Hannah hers. There was an indignant 'Hey!' from the aforementioned asian teen as both girls - now in their human forms - came up to the loft. Maddie sighed at the slightly angry-looking Jack.

"Yeah, Hannah and I are aliens." This gained a squeal from Miko. "But Hannah only discovered this a few days ago and I have known - more like aquired - my alien form for about a year."

"Wait, so what you're saying is that you're only _half human_?" Hannah nodded excitedly at Raf's question. Maddie rolled her eyes.

"Can we see them again? Your alien forms?" Miko asked excitedly. Hannah shrugged, looking to Maddie, who laughed.

"You don't need my permission." she reminded her friend before once again removing her mask. Hannah shrugged again before doing the same.

"I know that Mads, but I'm not really used to this." she said, using her old name for Maddie.

"Woah, that is freaking wicked!" Miko squealed. "So, what, you're actually made of _water_ now, and you're made of _stone_? Awesome!" she continued, her mouth running a mile a minute as she asked question after question, which Maddie and Hannah had a hard time answering quick enough, before another question was being asked. Funnily enough, it was Ratchet that came to their rescue.

"Alright, alright, that's enough questions for now. Primus knows I can't concentrate on these repairs - and bringing these three out of stasis - with your constant blathering." he muttered. The kids laughed, and the half humans put their masks on. Ratchet sighed and continued to do his work. Hannah's phone buzzed in her pocket, and her eyes widened.

"Scrap! Doc, I need a bridge back to my house ASAP! My mom's gonna be home in like five minutes!" she said, sounding panicked. With an annoyed grunt he entered in the coordinates and opened the bridge.

"Bye everybody. Um..." she stopped just in front of the bridge. "Do you think I can come back tomorrow? I took a bit of mechanics last semester, so I could help a little bit with repairs." Suddenly, the funny, probably-insane Hannah sounded very timid.

"If your parental units allow it, we will grant you access to our base tomorrow." Optimus answered from his place on the medical berth. Hannah grinned, running over to said medical berth.

"Can you lift me up for a second?" she asked quietly. Optimus did so, letting her sit on his hand as he brought it closer to his face.

"Did you need something?" he asked. Hannah grinned.

"Nope." she said, hugging the side of Optimus' face. "Just that. I'm sorry I'm such a fangirl, but I've wanted to do that since I first saw you when I was like, six. You looked like you needed a hug, too." she said, letting herself be lowered to the ground. She went back to the bridge, with Maddie beside her.

"Okay, so we'll see you all tomorrow. Bye!" Maddie called, going through the bridge moments after Hannah did.

As it turns out, the girls made it through the bridge with less than ten seconds to spare, because just as the bridge closed in Hannah's room, both girls saw Hannah's' mom pull up in her car. With a quick - and completely untruthful - explanation of what they did that day, they said hello before bidding her a goodnight and going back into Hannah's room. Maddie fell asleep on Hannah's couch within minutes, but Hannah laid on her bed for a long while, her human mask in her blue hands, which she was also studying.

_It strains the limits of belief. Is my mother my real mother? How much of my life was a lie? What if she isn't my mother? How do I have a human form? Maddie had said she was experimented on, by a monster. The only monster I can think of that would be made of metal, and be completely willing to destroy a planet teeming with life would be a Decepticon. A decepticon scientist... HOLY MOTHER OF FRAGGING PRIMUS! It's Shockwave! That has to be him! But... does that mean I'm one of his experiments?_

These thoughts tormented the almost-fourteen-year-old as she fell into a restless sleep.

* * *

**Gawd the computer was being an aftshaft while editing this, I hope you enjoy, but a word to PrimusXxX about a certain review. Hannah isn't that annoying, she's just awesome in her own way any thank you for helping me make my first flamer s'more :)**


	10. Lost Thoughts

_**Author's Note: I DO NOT own ANY of the characters in Prime. I only own Maddie and Mylah. Statscream's Prime own Hannah. That's it, end of discussion.**_

_**Credit goes to both me and Starscream's Prime.  
**_

_**This chapter is sorta dedicated to my dad who died August 29 2007. Anyways hope you enjoy. :)**_

* * *

Lost Thoughts

(Hannah's POV)  
I waited, almost impatiently for my mother to get in her car and drive away. Not that I didn't like hanging out with her, but I really wanted to go to the base. No, that's not my usual fangirlism, I had serious questions that needed answers. It took every ounce of my willpower to not start tapping my foot impatiently while my mom texted somebody. The instant she finally started the car and drove away, Maddie pulled her phone out.

"Maddie here, two tickets to The Autobot Outpost Omega-1 please." she said in a mock-professional voice that made me snicker. I could practically hear Ratchet rolling his optics before he ended the call. The reply though, was a much smaller human-sized vortex opening. I shut the curtains on my window, taped a note to my door and jumped through the portal instantly, feeling my spirits lifted the instant I felt the hard concrete beneath my feet.

"Hello everybody, did you miss us?" I asked teasingly. Then I got serious again as I made my way purposefully to the medical berth that Optimus was still occupying. The only difference was that the other three bots were conscious now, but looked a bit disoriented. With great difficulty, I climbed up onto the berth. Optimus hadn't noticed me yet, and I was pretty sure I was glad for that - I was wearing another autobot shirt and transformers pyjama shorts.

"Optimus, I have a few questions, that I'm hoping you'll be able to answer." I said shyly. Well you would be too if you were speaking with the bot you've been obsessed with for nine years and counting. He looked down to where I stood, careful to not disrupt Ratchet's work on his stab-wound.

"What is it you wish to ask?" I took a deep breath, thinking about how I was going to ask the questions threatening to explode out of me.

"It's about... my species, and my past." I whispered. "If you know, I want an honest answer, please. Was I.. was I always part-human?" I finally asked the question that had eaten away at me for hours the night before. Optimus vented a heavy sigh before reluctantly answering.

"No, Hannah, you were not. Once, you were a full Nanourta. That is, until the Decepticons invaded your world. Many of the Nanourta and Petromann were killed, and the ones that weren't were captured and experimented on, by Shockwave. I remember it clearly; I was a part of the Autobot rescue team that invaded the Decepticon Base where many of the natives to your planet were being held captive. But we were far, far too late. The only natives we managed to save had already been experimented on. Among those few were a male Petromann and two female Nanourta. The petromann had not been altered, nor had the elder Nanourta, but they showed signs of brutal interrogations and abuse."

My ears suddenly stopped hearing as I began to process this information; I was an experiment of Shockwave's. Maddie was as well. That Petromann and the other Nanourta were lucky enough to not have been changed. That brought me to another question; who was the other Nanourta Female?

"The other one of my kind, who was she?" I asked, cutting Optimus off in whatever he had been saying.

"She called herself Lorelie. I have reason to believe that she was biologically related to you." My heart clenched painfully at the past-tense.

"W-was?" I asked, my voice wavering. It was a voice from behind me that answered.

"I'm sorry to be the bearer of ill news, but our father watched your sister die in his arms, not long after he allowed the Autobots to take you to safer grounds; Earth. Because of your mask, you would be able to blend in here at young ages, which you had, until you discovered the mask." It was Mylah. I couldn't help but let the tears pooling in my eyes to fall down my face, as small flashes of a beautiful Nanourta female appeared in my mind. My sister that I didn't know I even had, died in the arms of my best-friend's father.

"This is surreal.." I muttered, sitting down on the berth, hugging my knees to my chest. I was an experiment, an oddity. A hybrid, an aberration There were so many words that came to mind when I thought about what exactly I was. Then my thoughts came to another abnormality.

"So, is this some sort of mark from Shockwave's experiments?" I asked, gesturing to the vibrant black symbol just below collarbone. My mom had always said that it was some sort of birthmark, but it looked like a branding of some sort. Not that it wasn't pretty or anything, but I wanted to know. Ratchet's optics widened in surprise.

"That is a cybertronian glyph." he breathed. Okay, that was unexpected.

"Cyberglyphics? What does it say?" I asked impatiently.

"This glyph translates to 'Promised Mate' in your language." What. The. Frag. My life is officially screwed up on too many levels to count. First thing that changed my life - Maddie went missing for a long time. Second - I met Starscream and the Autobots. Third - I find out I'm not human. Fourth - I was one of Shockwave's abandoned experiments! And finally, a cybertronian imprinted on me as their future sparkmate when I was little. I know it was when I was a little because even pictures from when I was a baby show the glyphs.

"Helloo? Earth to Hannah!" I heard Miko calling me, and I yelped in surprise when I saw her hand waving less than two inches from my nose. I jumped back in my surprise, pushing myself back on my bare feet as quick as I could, and crying out in pain when my head hit something distinctly metallic.

"Owie.." I groaned. "Yeah, I'm okay, it's not like I just hit my head on..." I trailed off looking at what exactly I'd hit. "Yeah, it's not like I just hit my head on Optimus' hand or anything." I said sarcastically, rubbing my head.

"Sorry~" She apologised in a sing-song voice.

My POV:  
I sighed, staring at Miko and Hannah, chuckling when my friend hit her head. That dream I had was something that haunted me when it was that time. Oddly enough, first time I had it showed to one person I loved most in the world, my father. Then it went to my mom and then other people very close to me. But... This one showed the one person I hated most, Silas, and when my name was called out, it sounded like Star. I always had this crazy idea that a dream gave you a warning, or a foreboding of sorts. Sighing I walked over to Hannah who was still talking to Miko.

I nudged her arm. "I need to speak to Hannah, that okay Miko?" I grabbed her arm before anyone said anything, and dragged her with me into one of the medical rooms in the base. I looked out the large door, making sure that no one could hear what I was going to tell her. I felt a hand on my arm and I jumped.

"It's that time again, isn't it?" I nodded my head solemnly.

"I guess it's time to see my dad again..." I looked at the floor, it was just so hard to talk about it, even after five years... of him, just gone. "I-I, j-just miss him so muh-much." My breathing began to hitch, and I felt Hannah embrace me. I always wondered why my life had to really suck this way. But I now had new friends, and I also had Screamer.

"Maddie, do you want me to come with you this time?" Hannah was referring to seeing my dad's grave. I nodded, not trusting my voice. "Okay." I smiled a little bit, not only was this going to be that day I was to see my dad, but it was also one of the other times of the year when I allowed myself to get on a sugar high. I laughed a little, and let go of Hannah, a quizzical expression on her face.

I was now grinning. "We are gonna eat lots of sugar at the end of today." Hannah groaned, and I laughed. Her sugar high was_ ridiculous_ to say in the least. I grabbed her arm again. "But first, we gotta talk to Starscream." Now Hannah was smiling with me as we got back to the main room, the only people there were Ratchet and Optimus, I guess the kids were with their charges.

"Hey Doc-Bot." Ratchet looked down at me. "You still got the coords to where the Harbinger is at?"

He raised his optic ridge. "And why would you want to go there? Also, how do you know of the Decepticon carrier?" I rolled my eyes.

"Just get it open and I'll call you when we want to get back." A defeated sigh came out of the medic and the bridge was activated. But, before we went through, Hannah was stopped by Optimus.

"Need something Bossbot?" she asked.

"Yes. The others and I have come to an agreement, that you should have an Autobot guardian. As Ratchet would stand out more in everyday human society, I have taken it upon myself to become your guardian."

"Cool!" Hannah said happily, doing a strange victory-dance of sorts. I raised an eyebrow. I couldn't really believe this, she got to be Optimus' charge, the dream of so many Trans-Fans worldwide. Oh well, I had Starscream. I was always a Decepticon at heart, a rogue one at least.

_It's actually not that fun, love_. I smirked, guess Starscream is still online. _Also... Thanks for kicking that fleshbag's aft._ I sigh and grabbed Hannah, dragging her through the bridge while her head imploded with the fact that she was now an ally of the Autobots.

I took my time dragging Hannah and myself through the bridge, I wanted to study it. I always thought that the portals were something to behold, funny thing though, because whenever I saw them, real life or on the TV, they always remind me of one memory that I can never forget.

"Hey Maddie." Oh God, I forgot that I was dragging Hannah. I released her.

"Sorry." I apologised, putting a hand to the back of my head.

"S'alright." She replied when we left the portal and came to a densely wooded area.

_"Starscream."_ I called out to him openly and through the bond. Nothing.

Sighing, I motioned Hannah to follow me, suddenly I stopped and Hannah bumped into me. I could feel it. A, tug, a pull.

I was being pulled to my left. And when I went to my left, I couldn't stop going in that direction. "Maddie?" I heard Hannah, but I ignored her. I had to find

Starscream.

I just had to.

Hannah's POV:  
_Where is she going?_ I thought worriedly as I followed her. _Maybe she's following her bond?_ I continued rationally. I shrugged to myself and just followed my friend. Inside a small corner of my mind, I was completely freaking out._ Optimus Prime_ was my guardian! It wasn't a semi that looked exactly like him, it _was_ him. How many Trans-Fans could say_ that_ truthfully? None that I knew. As I thought these random things, I didn't watch where I was walking and wound up tripping over something and almost faceplanting.

"Ow!" I exclaimed as something that felt like a rock dug into my stomach.

"You okay?" Maddie called, walking back to me and helping me to my feet. I dusted myself off with a nod.

"Probably gonna end up with a bruise on my stomach though." I answered, and we continued walking. It was quiet for a few minutes, and I felt the need to break the silence.

"What do you think happens in episode sixteen?" I asked her, referring to the episode after Toxicity. Maddie shrugged.

"Bulkhead survives and Jackie and Miko go for revenge?" she suggested. Then I shrugged too.

"If they do, I'm going with them. Or, _we're_ going with them. We could probably do some serious damage to the 'Cons, with proper training." I rambled a bit, putting a hand over my mouth. Sometimes I have to resort to that so I don't ramble for twenty minutes on a subject irrelevant to the conversation.

"Well, I don't really care. We know that Hardshell is going to be responsible for Bulk's injury." She began to trail off. This was a normal thing for her to sometimes. I sighed. "And we know how Wheeljack is with blowing up stuff." She turned her head as she said this, with a crazy, sideways smile on her face. But it went blank, and she stopped.

I waved a hand in front of her face. "Maddie?" No response. This worried me even more. She seemed to be in a daze. I poked her face a bit. "Hello? Space cadet? Are you there?" Primus this was one of those times I needed to know a phone number to a mental doctor. I swear, I'm going to go crazy. Random sci-fi thought; what if I was just moving really fast? No, that was ridiculous. If I was, why would I see bugs flying around? If I was moving really fast, those would be frozen too. But, what is wrong with Maddie?

"Let's go, Starscream needs us." What? This is really freaky. I_ know_ this is not normal, even for Maddie. But she continued to walk and I followed. Then she broke into a_ run_! And she was_ fast_ and I could do nothing but run after her, screaming for her to slow down.

I came into a rocky clearing and it looked to be a cliff, and at the very edge of it, was Maddie. In her alien form, and she seemed to be singing.

"_Nay ye o dayu dan ne ayu, may day de yu._" If only I could remember what that song was. "_Nan ne-yu do sono mayu..._" The tune was creepy yet calm. I could feel my eyes bug out of my head. It was 'Come Little Children'! Maddie knew the song by heart, but what was she singing it in?

"Oh Maddie..." I walked over to her, and I could see that she was crying. I placed my hand on her shoulder. "C'mon. Let's get to Screamer." But she didn't move, in fact, she wasn't even blinking. She just kept singing. Fear came to me and I began to shake her roughly. "Maddie you have to snap out of this! You have to wake up if you can!"

Her singing stopped. Okay, this was getting weirder and weirder every minute, to the point where it was honestly scaring the crap outta me. Then I heard one sound that I swear that I wish I could never hear. The strange wailing roar of an_ insecticon_.

"We don't have time for this! MADDIE! Wake up!" I yelled, grabbing her hand and running. And it started to follow us!

"Stop." What was Maddie thinking?!

"No."

"I'll protect us. All you need to do is frigging stop!"

"Okay, okay!" I did as she ordered and even though robo-bug was still aways from us, I was frightened. I felt something being pressed into my hand.

It was Maddie's phone. "B-but-"

"Just RUN! I'll be fine. Screamer's number is in there." She shoved me. I couldn't just leave her there! But somehow, I trusted her judgement.

"GO!"

"I won't forgive you if you're dead." And I just ran for it.

My POV:  
I heard Hannah's footsteps grow more quiet and the insecticon came closer to me. Well this wasn't going to be as easy as the drone I killed last year. This thing has intelligence as well as brawn (and Airachnid's bitching if you know what I mean). I squinted into the distance and I could see that it was in its bug form, and it seemed to be really pissed at the sight of me. I morphed my hands into swords, ready to fight the monster.

But it stopped about ten feet away from me, transformed and hissed. The hell was it doing? It, just sat there, and stared at me, while I glared back at it. After a bit more staring, I thought that it wouldn't attack, so I slacked a bit in my stance. It seemed to sense this, and began to get closer to me. I held my ground, getting stiff with my stance. Then it was only a foot away from me. "Are you here for me Airachnid?" It stared at me, unmoving. I smirked. "I know you can hear me. Make it speak."

It shook its head. "I am not under the influence of the one you call 'Airachnid'." It put its face very close to me. As if to sniff. "And you smell like, _him_."

"Who is 'him'?" The frag was it talking about anyways?

"A one-eyed creature calling himself Shockwave." Oh god, _that's_ who did this to me? It was Shockwave? Then a scream entered the area.

"Oh shit! Hannah!" I began to run, forgetting the insecticon behind me. Soon after, there was a buzzing sound behind me. But I ignored it, and continued to run in the direction of the screaming.

Then it stopped as I came to a field with a helicopter taking off. "No no no no..." I kept repeating that word as it took off into the sky. I saw something fall to the ground, and I ran after it.

It was my phone, and there was something attached to it. Oh god, it looked like one of those weird GPS phone thingies that MECH sent to Jack and Arcee back in Crisscross. I picked up both things, pocketing my phone and inspecting the bulky comm device. Sighing, I sat down and stared at the box. Then I heard a familiar sound as the insecticon came close to me.

"There is another one with His scent?" It sounded both like a question and an accusation. Like as if I knew. I glared back at bug-bot, he wasn't really helping much. Well the day was getting more and more awesome. Today was the day my dad died, I can't find Starscream. Then I get into a freaky trance and _then_ Hannah gets kidnapped by MECH.

"How could this day get any worse?" I moaned. I hadn't noticed that the insecticon was close to me until it spoke again.

"What is your designation?" Well that was strange even for an insecticon.

"Tell me yours first."

"I am not of age to have one." This insecticon was different from all the others, first off now that I took a better look at it, it was smaller than the ones that I have seen. It was less scary looking, and it had a good amount of manners as well. Its paintjob was that of a silvery-blue. But the one thing that stood out to me most was its optics.

They were blue.

* * *

Hannah's POV:  
The first thing my conscious mind registered was a throbbing pain in the back of my head. The next was that I was cold, and wherever I was it was dark. I was in my human form. I thought back to what had happened just before I woke up here, and I scowled in anger when I remembered._ I was kidnapped by MECH! Could this day get any better?_ I thought angrily, wanting to hit something. I heard the sound of a door opening, and there was a dim light. A MECH soldier strode in, but he looked different. His leather mask had a yellow stripe going across it.

Without thinking I lunged forward but stopped when a painful electric current coursed through my body. I couldn't help the scream that I let out. _What the hell was that? A shock collar?_ I thought, putting my hands to my neck, where it was met with cool metal. I growled.

"What the hell do you want with me?" I demanded, backing myself up against the wall, as far away from the stupid soldier as I could get.

"Information." I couldn't tell if he was lying or not. "You're close with the aliens." Duh. I'd seen them in action for the first time when I was six. I rolled my eyes.

"Way to state the obvious. What kind of information are you fishing for here?" I asked, trying my hardest to keep my tone civil.

"The relics. The base. Everything you know." Hell to the_ no_! No way was I gonna betray them like that! Then I inwardly smirked as I got an idea._ This one goes to you, wolfwitch94_. I thought.

"The Requiem Blaster." I said, changing it up a bit. I only hopes that said blaster didn't exist in this continuity. "It's in a cave, somewhere near the Gates of the Arctic." I said as confidently as I could. The soldier seemed satisfied. "Before you say anything, I don't have any exact locations, but there's also this sword called the Star-Sabre Sword somewhere in Shanghai, underground. I have no idea about the Skyboom shield though." I rambled, biting my tongue before I let a real location slip out.

"You'd better not be lying." the soldier warned. I shook my head.

"I swear on my life I'm telling the truth." I lied again. Tricking the bad guys is too easy. I was a little surprised though when the soldier removed the shocky thingy off my neck. I looked at him curiously, but gratefully. The stupid thing left a red ring on my neck.

"Not that I don't appreciate that I'm not wearing a collar like a dog, but why'd you take it off? Aren't you worried I'll make a break for it?" I asked as the soldier walked to the door. He shook his head but didn't answer me. The door shut, and I heard the sound of the lock sliding home as I was trapped in the dark once more. I wouldn't admit it if I was asked, but I was scared out of my mind. I couldn't help the tears that dripped from the corners of my eyes as I slid to the floor against the wall, drawing my knees to my chest. _Oh God, help me!_ I thought desperately, wishing for all the world that there was at least a window in here. Out of nowhere I began wishing I had something like what Maddie and Starscream had. A bond. That way, even if I was trapped, I wouldn't be alone. I craved the comfort that my sister had once given me, but there was nothing but the cold metal walls surrounding me. I was trapped, and I was alone.

I just prayed that someone would save me. Soon.

* * *

**Well. I hope you liked this little bit of drama/humor.**

**Reviews are loved. :D**


	11. Rescue

_**Author's Note: I DO NOT own ANY of the characters in Prime. I only own Maddie and Mylah. Starscream's Prime owns Hannah. That's it, end of discussion.**__**  
**_

_**Credit is shared with Starscream's Prime  
**_

_**I have been traveling a bit the last two weeks and Starscream's Prime had some stuff to do... Sorry for the late update, thank you for your patience guys! :D  
**_

* * *

Rescue

_MECH Base, Main Control Room_  
A screen flashed, signaling an active comm link. A grunt looked to the the man with a yellow-striped mask. "Shall it be accepted?" His superior nodded once, and the screen went white as a young looking girl with gold hair and blue eyes appeared.

"Good it's working." She muttered as she looked to the screen. "Alright you shitheads, I want my friend back."

Well, this girl was blunt and to the point.

The man standing in front of the screen looked taken aback at the demand/insult. But his superior just cracked a smile under his mask. "Insults aside." He began. "You must be Maddie." He gave the grunt a slight nod and he pulled up a smaller screen image showing a little girl huddled in a corner.

"HANNAH!" Screeched Maddie in concern for her friend. "What the hell did you creeps do to her?!" she demanded, furious.

The man let out an evil chuckle. "Oh, nothing yet." he promised darkly. Maddie frowned angrily.

"What is it you want?" she asked.

"A trade. You," he pointed to the camera. "For her." he pointed to the screen. Maddie seemed to be contemplating something for a few seconds.

"How do I know you won't double cross us and keep us both?" she asked suspiciously. The MECH soldier thought for a moment.

"Go ahead and bring one of the aliens to these coordinates. Be there at midnight." he said, entering in a set of coordinates and sending them to the communicator.

"You come alone. Just you and my friend." Maddie growled before cutting the connection.

The man laughed, his subordinate looked at him with some worry. "Sir?"

"So _stupid_. Aliens are too _gullible_ to even walk our planet!" He coughed, calming himself. "I will make sure that we get what we came for..."

Maddie's POV:  
"Fuckers..." I grumbled as the screen went dark and a set of coords blinked on the screen. I had to let base know about this problem, or I might never get to see Hannah ever again. I stopped my hand from reaching where I kept my phone. What if it was just like Crisscross? What if I couldn't contact base?

I had to try anyways. Sighing, I dialed base.

"Yes, Maddie?" I almost cheered when I heard Ratchet's sighing question.

"Ratchet, I need you to bridge me to base, I'll tell you when I get there." My voice cracked in the stress it implied.

His answer was the green portal blinking into existence. I ran through, not caring that there was an insecticon following me. I hugged the closest Autobot leg, too happy that I was back to talk.

"Look out!"

I turned my head back to where the blue insecticon was at. "No! Don't hurt him! He's not under Airachnid's control!" I yelled, standing between the Insecticon and the Autobots.

"Why is he with you?" Jack asked. I sighed.

"I found him, just as Hannah got kidnapped by MECH." I said. Silence greeted my statement. "I thought he was hostile, so I told Hannah to run. She did, but she ended up getting kidnapped while I stayed behind." Guilt seeped into the back of my voice. "When I found where the helicopter was taking off from, I found my phone - that I'd given to Hannah - and one of those communicators you got when your mom got taken by MECH." I looked to Jack as I continued. "They sent me a set of coordinates. They want to negotiate a trade. Me, for Hannah. They said I can bring one Autobot guardian, and I'd suggest Optimus, since he's Hannah's guardian and all. I'm sorry, you guys." Why did I have the urge to start crying?

"Nobody blames you. You couldn't have known that Hannah was going to get kidnapped, or that the Insecticon wasn't hostile." Optimus stated. I sighed, knowing he was right.

"Okay. Let's get these coordinates into the bridge, and save Hannah." I said, handing the communicator to Ratchet before facepalming. "That sounded so corny.." I muttered, making the kids laugh as the swirling vortex activated. I climbed into Optimus' vehicle mode, and he began to drive.

Hannah's POV  
The door to my 'room' was opened, and I hissed. The light was much brighter than last time.

"What's going on?" I griped, growling when I was yanked to my feet, being all but dragged down the hallway of the MECH base. Nobody said anything, and I was roughly shoved into a helicopter. I would have smiled if it were in any other situation. I've never even been in a plane before. But, seeing as I was in enemy captivity, this was not the time to be smiling over silly helicopters.

"Where are we going?" I tried again. I was ignored. "Assholes.." I muttered. I hated being ignored when I asked something. But, I got a fair share of that from my brother. When we landed in an empty field-type area, I grew confused. Why were we here? Were they going to kill me now or something? Probably not. I _was_ an alien after all. My eyes widened when I saw a red and blue semi truck about a hundred or so feet away from us. I was led out of the helicopter, the handcuffs I'd been forced into when I first tried escaping being unlocked, before I was roughly prodded towards the semi. I raised an eyebrow, but began walking forward. The passenger door opened, and I saw Maddie get out. She began walking towards us.

"What are you doing here?" I hissed quietly.

"This was the only way we could free you." she said cryptically. I started worrying, but began running towards Optimus. I looked beside me, expecting Maddie to be beside me, but when I saw she wasn't, I froze, looking back.

"Maddie! C'mon!" I called. Panic was setting in as I realized what exactly had just happened. "No! NO! You're not allowed to trade yourself for me!" I all but screamed, starting to run back, but I wasn't able to make it three feet before a large metal hand picked me up.

"I'm sorry." she mouthed. I couldn't help the fact that I started crying as she reached the MECH agents.

"DAMN IT MADDIE! You can't do this!" I screamed as the Ground Bridge activated, and Optimus reluctantly walked through. I looked at his sad face plates as we entered the base. "How could you do that?!" I demanded. "How could you trade me for Maddie?"

"Relax, kid, it was all part of the plan." Arcee said. I froze, looking to the blue femme incredulously.

"What plan?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

"A plan to find MECH's base." Optimus answered. My eyebrows shot up into my bangs that covered my forehead.

"The tracker is fully operational, Optimus." Ratchet informed from the computer. Everything once again began setting itself into place in my head.

"I should have known you wouldn't willingly give up a human." I said wryly, looking to Optimus again. "Tricksy little Autobots." I muttered with a silly giggle. Lord of the Rings had rubbed off on my a little bit, apparently. I heard a laugh from somebody at that, but I didn't see who.

I sighed, this whole thing nearly made me die of worry over Maddie. I stifled a giggle, I guess she still wanted Silas' head for what he did to Starscream. I hated him for that as well, but Maddie hated Silas with a passion. My little smile turned into a grimace. "Just don't get yourself killed or found out, okay?"

* * *

**Oh no, drama llama! **

**Thoughts, likes, dislikes? We love the reviews. Also please read my profile it has information concerning all of my fanfics, thank you!  
**


	12. Trapped

_**Author's Note: I DO NOT own ANY of the characters in Prime. I only own Maddie and Mylah. Starscream's Prime owns Hannah. That's it, end of discussion.**__**  
**_

_**Credit is shared with Starscream's Prime**_

**Me: Sooooo sorry that we left you guys waiting for the newest chapter! I have school now and so's Starscream's Prime who has now changed her name to Link's Rose. Still the same duo that has been writing this fiction that I'm sure you all love.  
Also, gotta set some rules now that I got high school ruling my life. We will try and post about once every two weeks mostly on Fridays or the weekend.  
And one more thing before you continue with the reading. I'm sure that you noticed that the description has changed the co-writer name.  
Enjoy :)**

* * *

Trapped

Maddie's POV:  
_Oh god, oh god, oh god-_ Those two words kept streaming in my head as the helicopter landed in a broken down-looking building. I was actually captured, a prisoner to a secret war. But I had to look on a slightly bright side.

I was also a mole. I grinned like an idiot, I couldn't help how fast the crap to my life had escalated. Less than a year ago, I found out that all the stuff I believed in when I was a kid became real. But that was kind of crappy. One good reason why that was.

The bad guys were real too. MECH existed.

"Out." I looked up from my cuffed hands to see a grunt, his hand on the door to the helicopter.

I gave him a sadistic smile. "Make me." He pulled out a gun. I got up, and gave him a sneaky glare. "Pulling out the guns now, eh?" He carelessly prodded the killing tool into my back, silently telling me to move forward. Not another word was exchanged until he lead me to a room full of consoles and monitors. The grunt shoved me forward through the rows and rows of empty desks and workspaces until we came to a monitor that was the size of Ratchets back at base. But instead of seeing the medic at work, there were four grunts working at the keyboards, with much smaller monitors in front of them. There was a fifth grunt, but he had a yellow stripe on his helmet/mask thingie. And from the way he stood, I guessed that he was the one in charge.

"Commander." The grunt, behind me called. The grunt with the yellow stripe on his head stiffened at the call, as if he wasn't used to being called that. But the man who was facing away from us turned.

"Ah, good. You brought us the prize." I could almost hear the sarcasm in his voice.

I grinned again. "Is that it? I thought that I would see your, leader, Silas." I almost sneered those words at the idiot in front of me. "Oh wait, I remember, he got squished under his clone of Optimus. Is he still alive? I heard that he disappeared after that episode." The smirk I had as I spoke became a full blown sideways smile. "And after all that, I don't get punished for giving him that bust on his snot-locker?" I shook my head, chuckling. "Well, Commander? What are you going to-" A resounding _smack_ echoed through the almost-empty room. Then the clatter of something metal followed.

The fucker actually slapped me. I raised my head and saw that his left arm was across his chest, in the stance that one would do after slapping someone. I spat out some purple-ish blood. The whole room was dead silent as I looked around my surroundings. I looked a little to my left, and saw that my mask was on the floor.

Oh shit. They saw.

The Commander turned his head in the direction of my gaze, and saw my mask. He walked over to it and picked it up. He examined it and put it to his face, but it didn't activate, he must've broken it. He walked in front of me and put the mask to my face, like he was trying to see if it only worked on me. Apparently it did, and I saw my crystal hands turn to normal. The commander turned and waved me off. "Take the alien to a suitable holding cell."

I felt the gun jab my back again, and I was manhandled to some form of a room void of windows or any form of light. Faceplanting onto the concrete floor, I began to cry. Fuck having to find MECH's base, I hated this war that was being held in secret. I had to call someone, but I knew that I could get caught if I made contact with the outside world. I sensed Starscream, his worry washing over me, a burst of happiness was sent to him, and some anger was sent his way as well. Apologetic feelings were returned.

_Why did you not reply, I was worried sick!_ I practically yelled this through the bond.

There was a pause, then he replied._ I was being attacked by a horde of Eradicons, and I had to close the bond in order for you not to feel my pain._

I sighed._ Well, thanks to an insecticon that was apparently not hostile, Hannah got captured by MECH and I had to trade myself for her. But I had the bots place a tracker on me to find the base, and now here I sit, waiting for them to do some inhuman things to me since I'm an_ alien. I heard a bolt to the door slide open. I sat up, waiting for them to drag me somewhere. The Commander was there, flanked by a grunt on each side, with some advanced looking guns in their hands.

"Get up." He ordered. I sneered at him.

"Make me."

He gave some sort of hand signal to the grunt on his left, who then pointed the gun at my head. "I said, _get up_."

"And I said, _make me_."

"Shoot its arm." Something suddenly latched onto me and I felt an electric shock course through my body. I screamed out in pain as I began to have spasms and I face planted onto the floor yet again, glaring at the bastard that gave the order for my pain. The grunt that followed the order, grabbed the collar to my shirt and yanked me up, and he began to drag me to the door.

I spit in the Commander's face.

He just stood there as the grunt was frozen in place. "Take it to room number 705." He ordered this coldly. I raised my eyebrow, what is room '705'? I noticed that the two grunts were shivering a little. I surmised that it must be a terrible place, for me at least. Hell, I lived meeting Megatron himself, twice.

But, for once, I was scared. I had no idea what to fully expect from this crazy organization. With Megatron, I knew that he could just experiment on me, or blow me up, or torture me. But with MECH, they were desperate in getting the best tech, and I'm pretty sure that Ratchet would want to get ahold of it as well, seeing how much he hated 'the blasted Earth tech'. I looked to my left and I saw a series of windows looking down into a brightly lit room, and in the middle of the room, I saw a badly damaged human, but the lights wouldn't allow me to see exactly who was down there. But when I looked to the opposite wall, I almost died.

It was Breakdown's lifeless shell, hung up like a marionette, and being put back together by some MECH scientists. I just wanted to scream at the bastards for desecrating one of my favorite Decepticons. And scream I did.

"How dare you!" I cried, ripping myself away from the grunt to get to the window. "How dare you do this to Breakdown?!" I hit my head against the window, and I just wept. I just sat there, and cried, continuing to hit my head on the glass, I saw movement on my right and I bit the gloved hand that was about to be put on my shoulder. I looked up the arm and I saw that it was attached to the Commander.

Of all the people to try and even lay a_ hand_ on me. I bit his hand harder, my eyes locking into his goggles in a death glare. My jaw slacked and I released his hand. I turned my head back to the glass, my ghostlike reflection staring back at me. I looked terrible to say in the least. But I could care less, Breakdown was really and truly dead. I stared at the single optic that glinted in the light, his face locked in a silent scream. "Just let me mourn him..." I muttered.

I heard a bout of laughter behind me. "It's a _machine_, It was never alive to begin with. Silly little alien, are you really _that_ attached to such mundane things?" I felt his hand on my shoulder. "And it was like that when we found it. In fact, I was apart of the team that found the Transformer and brought it back here."

"They are alive, every single one of them is alive." I stared blankly ahead as I was removed from the tragic sight. "They have lives, feelings, family." I was just spewing out information that I believed in all my life when I first saw Transformers. I felt the cuffs on my hands come off before I was yet again shoved into a room, faceplanting into the floor once again. Cursing, I carefully took out my phone, and dialed Hannah. But there was no answer. Just static.

Then a low and menacing chuckle sounded in an intercom. "Stupid alien. You really thought that you could reach the outside?" The voice seemed to be coming from everywhere. "Here, you are trapped. Here, you cannot escape." I just blocked out what the voice continued to say, only partially hear what it was practically ranting. _Like I gave a damn about it,_ I thought in a growl. Then I noticed something in the upper corner of the room; a security camera. Without even sparing it a glance afterwards I flipped the middle finger.

* * *

Hannah POV  
"Ratcheeeet, is it time to go get Maddie?" I whined impatiently. I wasn't sure if only an hour or two had passed, or if it was more than that, but I was fed up of waiting.

"No Hannah, it is not time to go." he said for the hundredth time. With grumpy sigh, I went to walk back up the loft but tripped at the second step from the top. I hit my funny-bone in my left arm on the floor.

"OW! SON OF A B-iiscuitt. Oh, hey, Mrs. Darby!" I greeted nervously when I saw the nurse standing there with a disapproving look on her face. I smiled at her sheepishly.

The nurse shook her head. "And you are?"

"Hannah." I answered shyly. "One of Maddie's friends..." I mumbled.

"Word of warning, if you're ever around when she's really mad, she swears like a sailor." Jack whispered. I glared at him.

"Hello! The alien over here _can_ hear you, you know!" I exclaimed, gesturing at myself. June raised an eyebrow at me.

"Uh, pretend you didn't hear that for a few minutes." I said, getting to my feet and running over to Optimus, who was watching the monitors. "Hey Optimus," I started, sobering. He looked down over to me. "Did you _personally_ know my sister?" I asked quietly. He vented a small sigh, before turning to look at me.

"No, I did not. I did, however, know your father and mother." He paused for a moment, and picked me up, bringing me close to his face so that I made eye-to-optic contact. I stared into his cerulean-blue optics. They looked cool, and familiar, like I'd done this before in my life. Then I remembered why that was; Optimus had been a part of the rescue team that infiltrated Shockwave's lab. Or so they told us. But, I was pretty sure they were telling the truth. "They were the first of many extraterrestrial beings to discover Cybertron, and our kind."

"So, they were like ambassadors for our planet?" I inquired.

"Yes." he answered simply. I grinned. My parents were VIP's! I almost laughed at the thought, but calmed when I realized how much I honest-to-god missed them, and my sister, even if I'd only ever seen them when I was a baby. I suddenly felt something wet fall down my face. I sniffed and wiped away the tears. I looked to Optimus, silently letting him know I was ready to listen.

"When I had been living as Orion Pax the data clerk, I came across a message from a fairly distant part of this galaxy. It was a video document of your father and mother when they were only at their adolescence. I replied to their message, wishing to know more about them." I stared, amazed that my parents once knew Optimus as Orion so long ago. "They replied to my own message and they introduced themselves as Donahue and Natalina, introducing their small children as Lorelie and Talida." Suddenly I heard Ratchet yelling at someone in base._**********  
**_

"I NEEDED THAT!" he yelled, exasperated. I mock-gasped, putting my hands to my mouth.

"The famous line!" I squealed before bursting out laughing, clutching my sides as I collapsed on Optimus' hand, trying to muffle my giggles. Then I looked to the Insecticon, who looked ashamed. I instantly stopped laughing. "You need a name." I stated. The insecticon perked up excitedly, and I hopped onto the loft, walking down the stairs. I thought for a moment, studying his appearance and his blue visor. I could instantly tell he wasn't evil. But then, he'd already proven that.

"I have two names in mind here, and I want you to pick the one you like best." I said, looking at the insecticon meaningfully. He nodded. "Okay, which one do you like more, Riptide or Skytide?" I asked.

"Riptide." he said, seeming timid in his tone. I grinned.

"Riptide it is, then." I agreed. "Now, can we_ please_ go get Maddie?" I begged.

"Hannah..." Ratchet started exasperatedly. "_No_."

"_Whyyy?_" I whined. The other kids were snickering at the spectacle. "We _know_ where the base is! Why can't we just bridge in and out, just like that?" I asked, snapping my fingers for emphasis.

Ratchet rolled his optics. "_Because_. We need to somehow download all the other locations of all the other bases."

"Only Primus knows what the hell is happening to Maddie right now..." I growled.

"_Talida_. I promised your sister mere minutes before she died that I would ensure your safety. I plan on keeping that promise." he said firmly. I sighed, sagging against the wall of the loft. Optimus wasn't the kind of person I could say no to, fangirlism aside.

_'I'm not gonna stop, that's who I am. I give it all I got, that is my plan..'_ I swear I jumped a foot in the air when my phone rang. It was mom.

"Hello?"

_'Hey hon, I'm home.'_

"That's nice. I'm just hanging out, uh, with some friends." I half-lied. "Do you think I can spend the night?" I asked, and I found it funny that I was asking both the autobots and my mom.

_'Whose house are you at?'_ mom asked.

"Tyra's." I said instantly. She was one of the only friends I had that didn't have a phone, so I didn't have to worry about my mom calling them and finding out I lied to her.

_'Okay. I love you.'_

"Love you too. Bye." Then I hung up. I just stared at my phone for about two minutes, looking to Optimus as he nodded his agreement.

Then I exploded.

"OhmyPrimusI'msleepingoverattheAutobot'sBASE!" I exclaimed excitedly, jumping about the rec area while Bumblebee and Raf stared at me, completely oblivious to them.

The scout beeped something that I still couldn't understand. I stopped running around like a madman, just as Raf replied. "I think she's a little crazy."

I rolled my eyes. "I just got the okay from my mom that I can sleep over here. I think that's something to go crazy about. I mean, well, these guys are like my childhood heroes!" I hinted at the little hacker, reminding him of Maddie's and my knowledge of the Autobots, my face darkening slightly as I remembered what will happen to Bulkhead. Speaking of Bulkhead...

"Ratchet-"

"I have told you then and I will tell you now: The answer is _no._"

"I was going to ask you where Bulkhead was." I muttered. Mrs. Darby cracked a smile, and Ratchet sighed.

"He's dropping Miko off at home." he answered. I breathed a sigh of genuine relief, even though I knew "Toxicity" wasn't happening for a little while. "Why do you ask?" he inquired. I shrugged.

"I dunno, just a gut-instinct." I lied. It seemed like I was doing a lot of that recently. "I wonder where Starscream is..." I accidentally thought aloud. Everybody gave me a funny look. "What? You guys need to get it into-" I suddenly reminded myself of Starscream and Arcee's altercation, and I stopped. "Nevermind..." I muttered.

"Hannah." I looked to Ratchet. "You might want to see this."

I walked on front of his Transformer-sized computer and I saw an image-thingie. I could see a small, almost child-size figure in the image. It looked like... "Oh my god! Maddie! It's Maddie, it's Maddie, it's Maddie, it's Maddie!" I said this almost as fast as Blurr from G1, torn between horror and anger as I saw that she looked...damaged. Extremely so. "What the hell did they do to her?!" I screeched. This was unbelievable to see my friend this way. "That's it!" I ranted, throwing my hands into the air. "I'm going to get Maddie. Ratchet, get me a bridge to where the MECH base is." Optimus opened his mouth, about to protest, but I held a hand up to stop him. "No! I'm not going to stand for one of my best friends being beaten into THAT condition!" I yelled, pointing to the screen. Then I looked to Ratchet. "Open the bridge or I'll hack it!" Okay, empty threat, I have no idea how to do that crap. He raised an eyebrow, looking to Optimus. I considered giving him the silent treatment if he made me stay here.

"Hannah." I looked to the screen, Maddie was facing in the direction of the camera. "This is the only chance I have to tell you..." Suddenly, a loud banging of a metal door sounded, and the man that had kidnapped me in the first place entered.

"Come." Was all he said as Maddie refused him her attention. "The Commander demands that you come to see him." Again the grunt was ignored. I growled as she was prodded roughly in the back with a gun, and forced out of the room. I swiveled my head to the rest of the 'Bots in the room. "_Well?_" I asked. "Are we going to leave her like this?!"

Only the silence answered my question.

* * *

**Review please :)**


	13. Talk

_**Author's Note: I DO NOT own ANY of the characters in Prime. I only own Maddie and Mylah. Link's Rose own Hannah. That's it, end of discussion.**_

**So, school sucks. If you have any opinions about the new rules, please, do tell. Kinda sad at the small amount of reviews given, we love them! It's what makes us write onward :D  
Enjoy :D  
**

_::Bond talk.::_

* * *

Talk

Maddie's POV:  
I walked down the dank maze-like hallways once again. Seemed that the Commander really liked me for some reason, since he keeps asking -more like demanding- for my attention. Although, I did get the idea that he was really angry at me for some reason. My blood suddenly ran cold. _Oh god, what if they found the bug?_ My legs tensed as the grunt and I turned a corner, shoving me around as I tripped on my feet, stumbling as a white hot anger flooded the bond.

"Move it!" The grunt shove me again and he made me fall to the concrete floor with a thud. "Get up." He demanded, kicking me as I weakly forced myself up to my hands and knees, wheezing slightly since he kicked me in the gut. The anger from Starscream was being fueled by my treatment by these assholes.

_::I'm okay..::_ I thought through the bond. He wasn't convinced.

_::That slagger will be the first to go..::_ he thought darkly. I would have laughed, but that would have given me away. With a glare at the grunt that kicked me, I got to my feet and let myself be dragged away.

_::I think you should kill the commander first, THEN the grunt that kicked me.::_ I offered. I mean, it WAS the Commander's fault. Exactly so, because I knew that if he found out that I was a mole in all of this... I was as good as dead, alien or not.

Suddenly I was shoved down to the floor before the 'Commander', who chuckled, as if he were amused. That douchebag. Least I had to hope for was that the Autobots will help me soon enough.

The scene was the same as the last time I stood before him, only that the grunts that were at work were frantically trying to stop random windows from popping up. I mentally laughed. That had Raf's name written all over it. Not that I'd say that out loud, of course. Seriously though, that kid was kickaft.

"So." The Commander started, I weakly lifted my head in response. "Do you-" He paused and raised a hand to the monitor. "-Know anything of this?" All I did was stare, not trusting my voice at all. "Acting like you know nothing, are you?" He snarked. "Have you done this before?"

I coughed -more like hacked- out some purple blood, and raised my head locking my eyes on the monitor. Starscream was on it, and he was shooting his wrist-missile things at everything in sight.

_::What the hell do you think you're doing?::_ I demanded.

_::What does it LOOK like?::_ Starscream snarked. I internally rolled my eyes.

_::It's obvious that you're blowing the hell out of this shitty base, but the question is WHY?::_ I retorted. I got no reply.

The Commander looked to me, and then to the monitor. "Is that a friend of yours?" He inquired. I shook my head a little, chuckling a low, evil laugh.

"Nope." Was all I said simply.

"Then what is he?"

"My saviour, and your hell bringer." I said as I ripped myself from the grunt's grasp and headbutted myself into the Commander, flooring him in one go. Then I pulled my arms apart and broke the chain to my cuffs, intent on beating the hell out of this ass. Without any regard for secrecy - not that it'd do me any good, since they knew what I was anyways - I pulled my mask off my face, transforming my hands into blunt weapons, the kind you use when you want to beat the shit out of somebody without too much blood. It was a cinch, and I was breathing free air before I knew it.

I looked up and saw Starscream's face, feeling safe within his hands, I replaced the mask on my face, and I felt the full extent of my wounds. I placed a hand around my ribcage, groaning in pain. I instantly felt Starscream's worry.

"I'll be fine. But... you wouldn't mind taking me to the Autobots, would you?" I asked tentatively. He shook his head.

Hannah POV:  
I jumped, startled, when the alarms went off on the computer again.

"Is it Fowler?" I asked warily. Optimus and Ratchet both shook their heads.

"It's an encrypted transmission...from Starscream."

"_Again?_" Miko exclaimed from the couch. "I'll bet you anything it'll say something about important info and a medical kit." she added, not turning away from her sketchbook.

"Not quite.." Ratchet murmured. " _'I have Maddie with me. Requesting bridge to Autobot base on her behalf. She is injured and in need of medical attention.'_ " he read. My hands flew to my mouth as I let out a furious growl. There were many moments of silence.

"What are you waiting for?!" I demanded. "He has Maddie, and we need to get her back here!"

"It could be a trick." Jack argued. I shot a glare at him.

"I don't think so. He cares about Maddie, as much as he'll deny it to any of us." _Any of us who don't know, that is_, I added in my mind. "It honestly wouldn't surprise me to find out that he rescued her from MECH." I continued out loud. Then a particularly unpleasant thought came into my head. I groaned as I put a hand to my forehead.

"What is it?" Raf asked. I shook my head as I realized what my thought meant.

"Shit. Maddie's been missing for two days. She's gonna get grounded." I explained grumpily, pouting at the thought. "So what's the coverup?" I asked. Nobody answered, and I got frustrated. I pulled out my phone and dialled Maddie's cell phone.

Maddie POV  
I jumped, wincing, as my phone vibrated in my pocket.

"Hello?"

_'Maddie! You're okay!'_ I heard Hannah exclaim from the speaker. I sighed.

"Mostly."

_'Are you with Starscream?'_ she asked.

"Yeah, why?" I asked, somewhat suspiciously.

_'Because these guys are being paranoid and think he's trying to trick them.'_ she whined. I facepalmed, and got an idea.

"Put me on speaker." I ordered. Hannah caught on, and I heard her giggle. I waited until she indicated that I was on speaker. "Open the frickin Ground Bridge!" I called, very irritated. "I'm injured here and I think I was shot." I added, feeling a very painful area in my side. A blackness briefly swept over me as I felt faint. I hung up the phone.

"Are you alright?" I heard Starscream say distantly.

"Yes. I'm, fine." Was my answer before the blackness swept me again, and I fell to the metal of his hand. Panic rushed me and I used the bond, too tried to speak. _::I'm fine, stop worrying::_

"How can I not? Since you always seem to be getting yourself in such messes." And that was the last thing I heard as the sound of the bridge opening, some yelling, pleading. And then I was taken asunder.

Optimus POV  
Never, had I ever seen one of the children so,_ injured_. Yes, Raf had been poisoned by dark energon, but nothing like _this_ had ever happened to them before, to my knowledge. I looked to a bloodied Maddie as Starscream tried to explain everything up to now. Ratchet had a hard time believing that this was caused by MECH, though. Although that seemed to utterly infuriate my charge.

"How freaking DARE you accuse Starscream of doing this?!" she screeched angrily.

"Hannah, I'm afraid that you must calm down. Continuing to argue will get us nowhere and we must get Maddie inside and under Ratchet's care." I said with a slight edge to my vocoder, somewhat worried about the purple substance that was leaking out of her body.

She pouted, and she stomped off into the Ground Bridge as Ratchet carefully took Maddie in his servos.

"Stay here." He ordered Starscream and then looked to me. "Optimus, I want you to keep an optic on Starscream while I take care of Maddie." He took a step to the bridge and paused. "Give me a link if you need the bridge." Was his last remark before he stepped through and the bridge disappeared.

I then turned to Starscream and saw that he was staring at the servo that held Maddie. "Tell me what made you to go after her." I had my suspicions of his reasoning to go after Maddie. But, I also had my doubts. I would notice that Ratchet would look at Maddie with a knowing glint in his optic.

Starscream vented, lowered his servo with the purple substance now staining it, and he looked to me. "The bond." Was all he said. I raised an optic ridge.

"How long has it been since you noticed?"

"About a year now." He said tentatively. That surprised me. That would be right around...

"When you switched bodies." I stated. Starscream nodded. Then he fixed me with a look.

"Aren't you bonded to the femme commander Elita-1?" he asked. I shook my head.

"That had been what we wanted people to think, but we were no more than good friends." I replied. The former Decepticon snorted.

"Well it was believable." he muttered. I placed my servo on his shoulder.

"I feel as if I must let it be known that you're not the only one who is bonded to an organic." I started hesitantly. He gaped at me in complete shock. "Or, I soon will be." I corrected myself.

"Who?" he asked, still baffled.

"Madeleine's friend, Hannah." I confessed. The mech beside me looked ready to glitch.

"But she... doesn't seem to be your 'type'. Putting it mildly, she's hyperactive." he explained. I shrugged my shoulders.

"I do not believe she was always so." I began as I let myself be pulled into the memory.

* * *

_"Optimus, sir! We've found survivors!" one of my men called, lifting a heavy cage, revealing two female Nanourta and a male Petromann. They shrunk back in fear. As the other troops searched the room, I retracted my cannons, raising my hands in a gesture of surrender._

_"Do not be afraid, I won't hurt you."_

_I saw recognition flare in the Nanourtas' pupil-less eyes, and the younger one ran right up to me. I recognized her as well._

_"I remember you too, little Talida." I said, picking her up. She made strange cooing noises at me, and I realized she was not only still a sparkling of her kind, but she was speaking to me in her language. The elder Nanourta female came up as well, but her step shook and wavered; she was injured. I recognized her as Talida's older sister, Lorelie. She looked as though she'd been 'dragged to the pit and back'. She was beaten, and bloodied, broken. I hesitantly picked her and the male Petromann up in my other hand. Lorelie looked as though she were living her final minutes, as she slumped into the arms of the Petromann. They conversed, but I found myself unable to listen. Instead, my focus was on the confused, frightened, but at that very moment, happy Nanourta youngling as she warbled senselessly to me. As I watched, I saw a small movement of some sort on her chest. There was a swirling black ink-like marking there, and it was slowly forming into something. A cybertronian glyph. I gasped when I read the completed glyph; Promised Mate. I had just imprinted on this organic youngling, she was to be my mate in the future._

_"_Orion Pax..._" a weak voice called my old name in a different language. I looked to my other hand, where I saw Lorelie looking directly at me._

_"_Protect her, please. Make her safe._" she begged, her voice going weaker. I moved my hand closer to my face._

_"I promise I will do all that is in my power to ensure your sister's safety."_

* * *

I was swiftly pulled from the memory when my commlink went off. I established the connection quickly.

_'You know something funny I realized? I have a friend named Lorelie, spelt the same way as my sister, and she likes being called Lori the same way my sister did. Wait, I'm getting off track. Since I kinda figure you're still with Starscream at this point, I wanted to tell both of you that Maddie's stabilized.'_ Hannah's voice filtered into my audial.

"Is she awake?" Starscream asked instantly. There was a long silence.

_'No.'_ I heard my charge's voice growing thick, and I could tell she was nearly crying. _'Ratchet did some sort of neural scan, and he said she's-'_ her voice cut off for a moment._ 'She's in a c-coma!'_ She began sobbing into the comm.

My optics widened slightly as I heard the link get cut. Starscream looked very worried as he seemed to check Hannah's verdict. Venting, I made a link to Ratchet.

_'Optimus, I'm sure that Hannah has told you of Maddie's condition.'_ His vocodor sounded.

"Yes. What caused her to go into stasis?"

_'She was apparently exposed to electrified energon and has multiple injuries.'_ My friend replied.

I vented, and looked to Starscream. He looked torn between rage and agony. "Will you be alright?" I asked. He nodded, but seemed unsure of himself.

He turned his back to me. "I just need some time alone." And with that, the seeker walked off.

Seeing him walk off like that made my spark sink, to see someone so sad. I vented one last time before I commed Ratchet for a bridge and I myself entered base.

Starscream POV  
I looked to my bloodied servo again, venting as I did so. Those humans were going to pay dearly for what they did to Maddie. I looked up from my pedes and saw the Harbinger looking as depressing as ever. "If only I could fly once more, what I wouldn't do to have my glorious wings again." I said to myself, Maddie loved to fly just as much as I did, possible more. And I'm sure that she missed it as much as I do.

"At least you _have_ wings." a familiar voice stated from the ground. I looked down to see Maddie's friend, Hannah, standing a few meters away from me.

"Shouldn't you be at the Autobot base?" I asked. She shrugged.

"Yeah, but at the moment I'd rather be here, with somebody who knows Maddie probably even better than I do." she replied. Then I had a thought.

"What did you mean by _'At least you have wings'_?" I asked.

"Geeze, do I have to spell it out?" she muttered, before looking back to me. "According to the legends and teachings of my First Nations..stuff, my element is wind, which is kind of fitting. I love the wind, but I never get enough of it. If I had wings.."

She looked to the sky wistfully. "If I had wings, I could be in the clouds, with the wind on my face, as much as I wanted to." she sighed.

"First Nations?" I repeated, curious.

"Yeah, First Nations. I may have grown up in California, but my dad - well, technically adoptive dad - grew up in British Columbia, on the West Coast. He made sure I was thoroughly educated in 'our ways'." I didn't miss the air-quotes she used as she finished her sentence, making me think she didn't quite believe in it all.

"Interesting.." I said quietly. "Well, I have other business to, attend to, and I'm sure that Optimus Prime will be beginning to wonder where you went." And as if on cue, her phone played that annoying song.

_'I'm not gonna stop, that's who I am. I give it all I got, that is my plan..'_

"Hi. I like how Starscream mentioned you were probably wondering where I was JUST before you called just now." she said instantly. I smirked slightly in amusement, and saw that she was moving her servo in a mocking way, mouthing words that I couldn't quite get. She was mocking Optimus. _Optimus Prime_, leader of the Autobots, was being mocked by a human. This was rich.

"No offense, but I'm pretty sure I know Starscream just as well as you do, if not better, Optimus." she said, a frown on her face. "I know that she's in that condition, but I can't see her like that. Not...not now." I took that she was referring to Maddie. "Stay safe, got it. I'll call when I want a bridge." She smiled and hung up. Hannah looked to me seeming to be very excited. I couldn't hold back the smallest of chuckles.

"Mocking your own guardian..." I muttered in fake exasperation. Hannah giggled.

"Would you believe me if a different version of you, from a different universe, gave me the inspiration to do that?" she asked me. I raised an optic ridge.

"Another version of me?" I asked. She nodded her head, pulling out her phone.

"I'm not sure if you'll see it very well, but uh, just bear with me." she said as she went into a "Gallery" pulling out a video labelled _Starscream Mocking Megatron._

_"Fellow Decepticons. Megatron, your leader, speaks."_

That didn't sound like Megatron, at all. I found myself unable to concentrate on the white mech's words as the one behind him began making ridiculous faces. Until he looked his way. Within an instant the pink mech returned to his original position. The white mech continued speaking.

_"While Autobot scum bask in luxury. But, I swear to you that as long as I process code I will lead you all."_

That sounded slightly more like Megatron, and the white mech halted his speech when the pink mech tapped his helm with his digits. He looked over, and the pink mech gave him an innocently confused look. This was ridiculous, but I didn't look away, for some reason. The white mech returned to his speech.

_"Lead you all into a new Galactic order. An order that starts with a Decepticon-controlled Cybertron."_

I felt the urge to hit something when the pink mech began shaking his aft behind the white mech's throne. Said mech stood up, while the pink mech remained oblivious.

_"And woe betide anybody who would undermine my authority."_

I winced as the white mech (that I confirmed to be SOME variation of Megatron) shot the pink mech in the aft. There was a shocked and wordless exclamation, followed by a series of crashes and thuds.

_"Much better."_

Hannah POV  
Starscream's optic twitched, and that was the end of it. I began laughing again.

"You totally have that _'What the frag did I just watch'_ look on your face!" I snickered, putting my phone away. I looked to Starscream. "What did you think?" I asked, getting a little more serious, and losing it as he placed his hand to his face and groaned into it.

"Never, I repeat: never, speak of that again." I skipped up to the seeker and peered in the direction of what seemed to be one half of the Harbinger.

"Cool, I actually get to see the Harbinger!" I said with a grin. As horrible as it sounds, Starscream helped keep Maddie off my mind. It wasn't that I didn't care, but I tried not to think about it. If I did, there was a good chance I would burst out crying again, like both me and my cousin did when we saw Transformers Armada episode 48: Cramp. I shuddered as I remembered THAT particular scene. It didn't go unnoticed by Starscream.

"Are you alright?" he asked. I smiled, hoping to divert his question.

"Talk about a turnabout. I don't think you would be asking a squishy organic if she was okay, around this time a year ago." I said, avoiding the question. I didn't feel like talking about it.

Apparently, Starscream DID, though, because he picked me up, and stopped walking.

"I DO know you're hiding something." he stated, and I sighed, giving up and leaning my forehead onto his finger.

"Okay, I had a bad train of thought, and it reminded me of something that was... emotionally distressing." I said, not wanting to name names, or shows, or supposedly-fictional characters. He still didn't move. He was waiting. "Oh fuck it, FINE!" I yelled angrily, glaring at the seeker. "I remembered seeing a different version of you DYING, and it made me sad!" I snapped, dropping my forehead back to his finger with a loud thud. I sensed his fingers stiffen at my outburst. I continued to speak.

"I used to have a crush on that version of you that died, but I came out of it." I didn't know why I was telling him all of this.

"Then in the second part to the trilogy continuity, he was brought back to life, but he didn't remember anything, and he was a complete douchebag." _Shut up!_ I yelled at myself, and I managed to stop babbling. Fortunately, Starscream seemed satisfied with my answer, and he continued walking to the Harbinger, with me in his hand.

Nothing was exchanged between us as Starscream slowly walked to a hole that looked like was blown open with a missile. I stared at the jagged edges as we walked into the darkness, it took a minute for me to see and I saw what seemed to be a sleeping area, then we came to what might have been a storage facility.

"This place seems a lot bigger than it was in the show." I stated bluntly as he set me on the ground in what looked like the "Clone Room" from "Armada". Starscream just sighed, shaking his head.

"It's pretty confusing, isn't it?" I asked. He didn't answer. "Helloooooooo? Cybertron to Starscream!" I hollered. Why the hell wasn't he doing anything?!

"Quiet!" he hissed. "I'm thinking!" Then he was staring at the protoforms. I facepalmed, wondering if I should tell him that his drones were all gonna die. But, I thought better of it, and just waited. Sadly, patience isn't one of my strong suits, so I grew impatient quickly.

"Yeah, I'm going outside, and you can go and...be weird." I muttered, walking from the room.

* * *

I sighed as I breathed in the cool air of the outdoors. Like I'd told Starscream earlier, I loved the wind, and whenever there was wind, even a small breeze, I savoured it. Once the breeze passed, I began walking. Though, I didn't make it far. I heard the sound of wind whistling as something, or someONE dove towards the ground. I turned around, and screamed as I suddenly found myself in the air. My feet were no longer touching the ground.

_Laserbeak! Why is Laserbeak here?_ I mentally yelled. Of course, at that particular moment my attention span went from that of a normal human being to that of a peanut. I was completely distracted by the view below me, and the wind in my face. Stupid moment to have one of my biggest dreams come true, huh? As I'm being kidnapped by a freaky robot bird. I wish it was Swoop the Dinobot carrying me. Then I wouldn't be so freaked out. Then I felt a sharp pinch in my neck, and a drowsy haze blurred my vision. A freakin' sedative.

"F..f'kin' D'cept'cons..." I slurred just before I passed out.

* * *

**So, Hannah's been kidnapped, Maddie's in a coma, and 'Armada' is on the brink to happening. There has got to be something to say, right?  
Well, see ya in two weeks :D  
**


	14. Fun, In Pissing Off Robots

**A/N: I cannot tell you guys how happy I am now that I'm back on a computer.  
Onwards with the show!  
**

**Enjoy :D  
**

* * *

Fun (In Pissing Off Robots)

Hannah POV  
Me and sedatives don't get along well. I know that because whenever I woke up from, like, surgery or something like that, where they put me under, I had a pounding headache for hours. This was one of those times. I forced my eyes open, and they slowly adjusted to the dark. Then I saw it; I was in the Decepticon brig.

"Well frag me flying." I muttered, standing up. And, what I deduced was that I was in a cage about twenty or thirty feet above the ground, in the brig. Fuck. Then I remembered something, and I facepalmed.

"I'm made of _water_! I could... go into my natural form, and then just...drop to the floor." I thought aloud. Then I shrugged. It was worth trying. So, I took off my mask (secretly marveling once again over the fact that I was an alien) and ran my hand through the bars to see if I could make it through to begin with. I did. Reverting to my human form for a moment, I shrugged off my hoodie and took my mask off again, wrapping it up in the sweater. I didn't know how durable it was, and I didn't feel like putting it to the test.

"Here we go..." I murmured, slipping the bundle between the bars. It landed on the ground with a soft thud, but I didn't hear anything break, thank Primus. Then I focused on the consistency of my body (as well as somebody with a horrible attention span can) and felt myself falling through the bars.

"That was strange." I muttered as I reformed myself on the ground, putting my mask and hoodie back on. Then I ran towards the door. Unfortunately, it was transformer-sized.

"Fuck." I said bluntly. Then the door opened, and who else walked in but a boring freaking drone? Well, if the Decepticons were stupid enough to kidnap me, I'd make their lives more hell than the ship itself would when it came to life two episodes from now.

"Hey, who let you out of your cell?" he demanded when he saw me. Ugh. Then I got an idea.

"Go home!" I yelled. "GO TO SLEEP. Like a NORMAL teenage boy!" Something was seriously wrong with me. Eh, it worked. He just shook his head, but then he moved to pick me up. So, it didn't work COMPLETELY, but he was being slow, so I got to run away. "Bye Steve!" I called, letting out a maniacal giggle as the doors closed, and I used my epic climbing skills to climb up the support beam beside the door. Then I pulled out my Swiss-Army knife and hurled it as hard as I could into the door mechanisms. I broke it. Then I jumped down, recovered my knife, and left to wreak havoc on the Nemesis.

"Hm... Dreadwing or Knockout?" I muttered to myself, ducking behind another support as a pair of drones rounded the corner. "Eh, Dreadwing's more annoying." I decided.

* * *

Well, it took at least an hour of wandering until I actually found Dreadwing. And boy did I feel like an idiot when I found him in the command center, just as Megatron (holy shit, he's huge!) sent him to his quarters. I followed him there, walking in sock-feet (I took my shoes off to be sneaky) less than ten feet behind him, zipping into his quarters as the door opened. As soon as he sat down at some sort of desk in the corner, I darted across the floor into the darkest corner, and pulled out my phone.

_And here's a tribute to one of my favourite cousins, _I thought as I went into my downloaded Transformers Prime soundboard.

'_Skyquake serves only one master!'_

I tried so freaking hard to not shriek with laughter when I heard the sound of a knocked-over chair hit the floor.

"Brother? Skyquake!" he yelled. I bit my tongue as my face turned red from barely-contained laughs as I tapped another one on my touchscreen.

'_Hehehe, miss me?' _Breakdown's voice spoke, and I heard heavy footfalls going in my direction.

"Whoever you are, get out of hiding and fight me!" He bellowed and I heard the scraping of metal to metal and I knew that he took out his sword/blaster thingie. I stayed silent as I heard him move about the room. "Stop hiding like a youngling and fight me with honor!"

At that moment I ran out from my spot and I stared up at the blue flier. He looked down with a face of utter disbelief. I grinned.

"THERE IS NO HONOR IN THE WAR I FIGHT!" I shrieked, and ran off as I laughed maniacally, to the door, taking my mask off and sliding under the crack to the other side. I heard and felt a loud, earth-shaking thud. I stuffed my sleeve of my sweater into my mouth so I wouldn't start shrieking as I giggled; I'd made Dreadwing glitch!

"Now for Knock Out. He deserves payback for kidnapping Maddie." I whispered, an evil grin on my face. I placed my hand to my pocket. Good, it was there. But then, I highly doubted my Swiss-Army knife decided to magically jump out of my pocket. Maddie had told me in full detail where the medical bay was here on the ship, so I knew where I was going.

* * *

"Ugh, this was so much easier with a second set of servos.." I heard Knock Out grumble as I snuck into the Med-Bay through a vent. I bit my lip, holding back a grin as I slipped my mask off my face, leaving it in the vent as I grabbed my Swiss-Army knife and soundlessly slid down the wall.

'_Oooh, are you in for it NOW, you creep.'_ I thought as the medic gave up, laying down on the empty berth in the corner of the Med-Bay we never saw in the show. I waited patiently until he was in recharge, before clambering up said berth. With a sadistic glint in my pupil-less eyes, I took out the file-bit from the Swiss-Army knife, and walked towards what I figured was one of KO's sensitive spots; the... things on his shoulders. I couldn't wait to hear him scream like a femme when he saw what happened to his precious paintjob.

With that sadistic thought in mind, I dragged the rough end of the file along KO's shoulder, cringing at the nails-on-a-chalkboard sound that accompanied it. I saw him twitch, but that was it. Oh, how I wished I had spray paint with me at that EXACT moment. But, I didn't, so I had to deal with it. So, then I pulled out the serrated blade-thingy, going over to his shins. There, I left two scratches; on his right leg I drew the Slender Man symbol, and on the right I drew "I'm a pretty princess" in 'Slender Writing' (incase you haven't noticed I'm a bit crazy because I played Slender). I saw KO stirring, and I leapt off the berth, but wasn't able to find a hiding place before he saw me.

"_Neow!" _I cursed, surprised that it was my native tongue that came out, as opposed to English. "Oh no no no no no no no no no.." I constantly repeated as the red medic picked me up, only a second later to realize what happened to his 'precious paint job'.  
His red optics stared at me and I stared back. "Did you do this?" He asked, looking to the scratches that I caused, his face hardening as I gave him the most innocent look I could muster.

"No...Maybe...um...You deserved it. You kidnapped Maddie." I finally muttered fearfully. His optics narrowed as he held me closer to his face. I cringed back in his hand, hiding my face as the glow of the red optics brought frightening images to my head, a red-opticed monster among the many. But the gaze that he sent me scared me nonetheless.

"And was it necessary?" He asked.

I looked down, avoiding his gaze, and I felt my face getting wet. Damn PTSD! Whenever I felt like I was being reprimanded/in trouble, or yelled at, I freaking cried. It was stupid, and embarrassing, and it was always happening at the most inopportune moments.

"No.." I mumbled. "But it felt good. You've always been annoying." I added, giggling a little bit as I was still hiding my face. "But with what recently happened to Maddie.." I quietly murmured to myself, trailing off.

"What happened?" I looked to the red mech, and I noticed that his face showed some worry to it. That seemed odd to me. Why would HE care?

"She was captured and tortured by the guys that dissected Breakdown.." I said, narrowing my eyes angrily. "She was exposed to electrified energon, and now she's in a coma because of those bastards!" I growled, clenching my four-fingered hands into fists.

"Airachnid is the one at fault though, for Breakdown's death." Knock Out said. I nodded.

"MECH just stole his remains, and they're rebuilding him, but it won't be HIM, when they're done." As I explained this to Knock Out, I remembered what my primary objective had been: KEY KO'S PAINTJOB. Now I was having a casual conversation with him, like he WASN'T a Decepticon Torturer/Medic. I huffed a sigh boredly. "I suppose I'm in trouble, aren't I?" I mumbled into KO's servo.

"Ahuh." came the reply.

"And you're gonna take me to Megsy now?" I continued.

"Ahuh." another simple reply.

"Can I at least get my mask first? I'd prefer to meet him as a human." I requested, pointing to the air vent I'd entered from. I was honestly surprised when he actually grabbed it, though, but I shrugged it off, slipping my mask over my face.

* * *

"Lord Megatron, sir, our captive seems to have escaped her containment unit in the brig." Knock Out stated as he entered the command center, where Megatron and several drones were. The silver mech turned to face us, and his optics zeroed in on me, then flitted to the scratches on the medic's armour.

"And you felt the need to attack my medical officer...why?" he inquired, his voice deadly smooth. I trembled. A nameless Vehicon was eyeing my handiwork from a lower level. I snickered at the crudely written 'I'm a pretty princess' that I'd written minutes earlier.

"Because. I knew wrecking his precious paint job would piss him off." I said offhand. "Only, it didn't get the desired reaction." I added, blushing at the fact that I'd been crying in the Med-Bay. Then it hit me, I was in front of _Megatron_ and I wasn't dead yet. I started to shiver from my bottled up excitement and fear.

"Well then, punishment shall be ensured." He said darkly, and I cringed in response, which made the tyrannical warlord smirk evilly. Then I felt the urge to be insane, so I was.

"Um, please don't do whatever it is your planning to do. As much as I'm an Autobot, I still go crazy over a select few Decepticons, one of which happens to be you. So, please excuse me for a moment." Then I took a deep breath. "OHMYGOD It's frickin' Megatron! And Knock Out! And Soundwave! You guys are the only Decepticons I really like, 'cept for Starscream. And then you kicked total aft when you killed that Insecticon! I was _there_ for that! It was fraggin' amazing! And then Soundwave, kicking Spiderbitch's aft when you were in Unicron! And then when...ah...now I'm just embarrassing myself so...ah...yeah.." I trailed off, blushing when I saw EVERYBODY on the control bridge was staring at me. I think it was time to escape this hellhole now.

"And with that, I make my exit!" I said dramatically, pulling off my mask and liquefying, slipping through Knock Out's digits, landing and reforming on the floor before my mask did. Then I caught it, sent a smirk towards Megatron, and took off into an exhaust-vent of some sort, and it was strangely human-sized.

"GET THE AUTOBOT CHILD!" I heard Mega-twit bellow as I walked down the vent. After awhile though, I soon became lost. I facepalmed.

"Dammit." I cursed into my hand. Sitting down, I contemplated my current situation. One, I was in the Nemesis. Two, I had no way of communicating with the Autobots. Three, I was lost in a frickin air vent. And Four, I had no idea how to leave, unless I wanted to sit around and wait for "Armada", then just escape with Bulkhead. That was not preferable. I sighed, and pulled out my phone. No service, no bars. Dammit.

Least I had a last resort.


	15. Roundabout

**A/N: How's it going? Well, since this Saturday is Rose's birthday, I decided to post this chapter a little early so that we could get a break this weekend. We got a thing called Life, and it requires more attention than this fic.**

**Also, I got a little Translation thingie for the language the Hannah and Maddie speak. It will be at the top (or bottom) of each chapter in the order of each thing said.  
**

**One more thing, THANK YOU RATCHETSFANGIRL FOR GIVING US OUR 50TH REVIEW! :D:D  
**

**Enjoy! :D  
_Euron-de_ = Thank you  
**

* * *

Roundabout

Soundwave POV  
This had to be one of those bad days.

"_The human child has escaped. Lord Megatron wants her captured and returned to the brig for interrogation._" Knock Out put the order in the open comm. I didn't know where the girl had gone, but I intended to find her. Something told me that if any of the other troops found her, they wouldn't exactly be gentle with her. I knew, as soon as I saw her remove her strange camouflage, that she was one of Shockwave's victims from the planet _Chaian Kon_, and any person, organic or cybertronian, that survived that deserved much better than _this._

I looked to my reflection on my mask. I guess I wasn't the only one with a few secrets. I replayed the memory-file in my processor, slowing the frame-rate as the human femme removed her mask. It was a very interesting-looking process. I looked back to when the other femme had shown herself, they both seemed to be using the same technology in this transformation process. Then it came to me.

They were using _holoform technology_! So they _must _have had some form of intimate contact with a Cybertronian one way or another. Of course, I already knew of how the Petromann femme came in such contact with our kind; she was sparkbound to Starscream. Though, there was no logical explanation for the other femme, the Nanourtian. Then I stopped as I noticed something, sifting through my memory files. A Cybertronian glyph, upon the femme's chest.

_Promised mate? To whom?_ I mused as I translated the glyph.

* * *

Hannah POV  
"Fricking fraggety frack!" I growled as I came to a three-way path in the vents. I didn't know which was the better option at the moment. On one hand, if I took the wrong path, I was as good as dead. On the other hand, if I took the right one, I was home free. Then there was the unhappy medium, where I stayed trapped in here until the end of Flying Mind, two episodes from now.

"Fuck it." I muttered bitterly as I pulled out my phone and tried calling base again. I held my breath as the feedback of the ringing echoed until...

"Hannah.." I released my breath I had held when I heard Optimus' voice sound through, but I almost crapped my pants when I realized he sounded really mad, yet also extremely relieved. I knew it took a lot to piss him off.

"I know, I promised to stay safe, and I broke that promise, technically, but there's two reasons as to why I'm here; one, I was kidnapped by laserbeak, and two, I was trying to find the Forge of Solus Prime." I slapped a hand over my mouth as I realized that the Forge was somewhere on the ship, and there was a 35% chance that it was somewhere nearby.

"Do you not understand how worried we were when you did not respond to our calls?" Optimus demanded, ignoring my statement.

_ 'We' meaning you_, Prime, I mentally muttered, knowing it was entirely true, other than where the humans were concerned. I huffed, growing slightly angry at my guardian.

"Well, one can't exactly answer their phone when they're unconscious!" I hissed, quieting when I heard footsteps. "Look, I know I'm in trouble, but can it please wait? At least until I get the Forge. I'm already in deep enough shit at the moment, and I can't stand the thought of you being angry at me like this. I'm scared, Optimus..." my voice grew thick, wavering as I spoke, and tears streamed down my cheeks. There was no pause.

"Absolutely not, we have your current coordinates, and you will return to the base immediately. We can recover the forge at a later date." Optimus replied. He still sounded mad as the Pit, and that wasn't promising. A small vortex opened in front of me, and I didn't hesitate. I wanted out of that freak show.

I didn't look back as I tore my butt down the tunnel, at least not until a familiar pair of servos stopped me. Without hesitating, I grabbed onto one of his digits, holding it close. I felt myself hyperventilating as I was still crying, but found myself unable to stop.

"I'm so sorry, Optimus! Please don't be mad at me!" I wailed into his servo, unable to stifle the convulsive sobs that wracked my body. "I-I was so scared! Megatron w-was going to punish me, be-because I escaped the brig, and attacked Kn-Knock Out!" I stuttered out pitifully.

I looked up and saw his face, which held nothing but relief.

"I'm sorry.." I whispered. Optimus vented a sigh.

"You have no reason to apologize, little one. We were merely worried for your safety." he said.

I suddenly noticed the steady beeping of a heart monitor and I turned my head to the sound, seeing Maddie hooked up to a tangled mess of the life-support. I slowly walked over and stared down at her broken form, taking her hand in mine, and cried away what happened today.

* * *

When I awoke, I found myself in a chair, still holding Maddie's hand, and a blanket covered me.

"Please wake up, Maddie." I said quietly, my eyes welling with tears again. "C'mon, Mads. I need you to wake up so we can figure out who imprinted on me, together.. Come on, I can't be the only one that's curious.."

Only silence greeted my rambling. My face fell into the soft mattress beside Maddie's hand, and I began to cry again. I jumped practically two feet in the air when Miko began 'jamming out' on her guitar. I scowled. I was NOT in the mood for this. Without a word, I unplugged the amplifier.

"Could you PLEASE keep it down? No offense to your personality, you're actually wickedly awesome, but not everybody likes this kind of music. It's not BAD, but it's not GOOD either." I said, before going back to where Maddie was. Without another word, I reverted to my Nanourta form and hopped onto the medical-bed, laying down beside my friend. I was asleep in seconds.

* * *

_Open Desert_  
Optimus POV  
I sighed when readings from the bond indicated that my charge, and future sparkmate, had fallen into a fitful recharge. The bond was only one-sided, but I was grateful for that, at least.

The recent events had been stressful for everyone, including myself. I continued checking my energon radar for any life signal, Decepticon or Autobot. Seeing there was nothing, save for the few cars that passed me occasionally, I began to head back to base to check in on everyone.

_Autobot Outpost Omega-1_

The scene that greeted me was not at all surprising, but was -in all honesty- amusing. Jack was running from a very angry Miko, and they were currently trapped, in a sense. They were on either side of Bumblebee, and waiting for the other to make the first move. I left them to their own devices, and went to see Ratchet.

"How is our patient?" I asked, looking to Madeleine's unconscious form, with Hannah right beside her in her Nanourtian form. Gently, I picked her up off the medical berth, replacing her mask on her face and placing her on the kids' couch.

"Recovering." was the short reply I got from my medical officer. He looked back to Madeleine with a look of slight surprise. "In fact, she's recovering exponentially faster than what it would normally take for humans."

"Meaning?" I inquired.

"Within 24 human hours, she's already healed enough that she now only has a few scars and minor cuts." At the moment he finished his explanation, a window from our communications system showed, showing Agents Fowler's picture.

"_Prime, I need an assist_."

"On my way Agent Fowler." I turned away from the monitor and made my way to the now-active Ground Bridge.

* * *

_Two Hours Later_  
Hannah POV  
I couldn't help the surge of fear when I realized I wasn't with Maddie when I awoke, but it quickly fled when I realized where I was. I sighed in relief, and let myself fall back onto the couch cushions, burrowing into the multiple blankets around me.

"Hannah." a deep voice gently spoke, and I felt a large metal finger nudge me slightly through the blankets. I giggled at the ticklish sensations it unleashed in my abdomen.

"Don't!" I squeaked.

"Don't _what_?" Optimus asked, and my jaw dropped at his tone. It sounded...playful! I squealed as he sent a slight electric shock into me, not enough to hurt, just enough to make me squirm.

"That! Damn it, I'm _ticklish_!" my voice rang through the bunker, and I heard Optimus chuckle. My jaw dropped, under the blanket, _again_. I peeked out slightly, and I saw Optimus had the slightest of smiles on his faceplates. I giggled again.

"Dude, I thought Arcee and Bulk said they'd never seen him laugh before.." Miko whispered from a distance. I still heard it, though.

"I know.." Jack whispered. I tried to ignore them, and it wasn't hard, especially when Optimus sent another small shock through me, making my squeal and giggle again. Sadly, he stopped after that. As much as I don't like being tickled, I still enjoyed being with the object of my obsession, and the person who'd saved my life as an infant.

"_Euron-de._" I said, slipping into my native tongue instinctually. "For..well.. everything." I added, quieter.

"You are very welcome, Hannah." he replied. I frowned slightly at how..._off_ my own name sounded, coming from his vocoder.

"Hey, you said that my..Nanourtian name was Talida...right?" I asked, uncertain. How could I have forgotten my own NAME?

"Yes." Optimus answered simply.

"Well...maybe, just when we're at the base...you could call me that?" I suggested. Optimus seemed confused.

"You do not wish to be called by the designation you were raised with?" he asked, surprised.

I nodded. "Yeah. Somehow, Talida seems more..._right_. Especially coming from you. Besides, Talida is my given name by my _real_ family. It's my only connection to them, aside from you and Maddie's dad, who knew them personally." I explained, feeling a slight ache in my heart as I recalled vague memories of my Nanourtian family. I rested my head in my hands and sighed dramatically, looking up to Optimus, I saw the faintest of yearning in his optics as he turned away and went somewhere deeper into base.

I shoved off the blankets and placed my bare feet to the cold metal floor of the platform and pulled my phone out from my hoodie, looking through the texts and saw that I had something like fifteen texts, all from old school friends that I haven't talked to since I'd...met the Autobots. They mostly consisted of 'Are you Okay's and 'Where are you's along with a few 'Call me's. So, I set to work answering all the texts. With lies...

'_Sorry, came down with something. Lost my phone earlier. Better now, should be at school tomorrow.'_

'_I was just out of town unexpectedly for the weekend. Don't worry, I'm okay, and I'll see you at school tomorrow.'_

'_I'm almost out of minutes on my phone, so I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?'_

I felt extremely guilty for lying to all my friends, but it's not like I could say '_Hey friend, I was chilling out with the Autobots this weekend, and got kidnapped by Megatron!_', right? So, I had to deal with this stupid guilt that was trying to eat me from the inside out for lying to all the friends I practically grew up with.

I turned my attention to where Maddie was and noticed there was a lot less equipment, actually, the only thing she was even _connected_ to that seemed important was the IV and the monitor on her vitals. But the only thing that caught my attention was what Ratchet called the EM monitor that was supposed to keep track on her brain waves, was going nuts.

Jumping down and sprinting from the platform, I took a closer look. No, it wasn't my imagination. Giddy feelings pooled in my stomach, and spread everywhere else. Maddie was waking up! I quickly sprinted, hoping to see one of the Autobots, but then I remembered that the only ones here were Ratchet - who was currently taking a much-needed recharge - and Optimus. So, I ran to Optimus' office as fast as I could.

"Optimus, Optimus, Maddie's- oof!" I cried out in surprise as I ran straight into his foot, falling backwards. "Ow." I muttered, getting to my feet. "Maddie's waking up!" I screamed, running straight back to where she was.

Maddie POV  
I felt myself reaching the light as I blinked my eyes open, taking in the view of the flat, concrete ceiling that welcomed me. I could hear a familiar voice as I turn my head to get a better view of who was talking. Seeing Hannah bouncing about put the biggest smile on my face.

"Maddie's awaaaaaaake!" she sang, twirling in a circle with a silly grin on her face. I sat up slowly, but quickly fell backwards back onto the bed when Nanourta Hannah glomped me. I laughed happily, hugging her tightly. I heard a deep chuckle, and I looked to Optimus, hiding my shock. He just _laughed_!

I joined him in mirth as we just enjoyed the moment. That was, until a grumpy Ratchet came in, stared, and well, just stared. I grinned at him innocently, because I actually had no freaking idea why he was staring.

Optimus turned, and instantly, he returned to his calm and serious persona. That made me frown; why should Optimus always have to be viewed as the 'Cool, Calm and Collected' kind of guy? Wasn't he allowed to just... be a normal bot? Blasphemy.

"Good evening, Ratchet." Optimus greeted.

"Optimus." The medic started with a knowing tone in his voice. Then he looked to me. "Maddie, good to see you have regained consciousness."

"How long have I been _un_conscious?" I asked, at the same time I reached for my bond with Starscream. I was instantly embraced in his love and relief.

"Approximately two days, since Starscream retrieved you from MECH Headquarters." Optimus answered.

I nodded, throwing off the thin blanket, in an attempt to move around. I was SICK of sitting in bed. Unfortunately, Ratchet stopped my attempt, and it was humiliating because he didn't even have to put any effort into holding me down on the medical... bed... thing. One. Fragging. Digit.

"Ep, ep, ep! You have not been cleared for active d- I mean released from my care! You are to be kept in bed until further notice!" He said sternly.

"God dammit." I muttered into my pillow. Hannah snickered. "What's so funny?" I demanded. She shrugged, still sniggering.

"I'm just in that mood where everything's funny, and the fact that Ratchet almost said 'Cleared for Active Duty.' DUDE, wouldn't it be the most amazing thing ever if we were cybertronians? That would be freaking AMAZING! Then I could do more than key KO's paintjob, and make Dreadwing glitch. What would you do if you were a cybertronian? Wait, don't answer that-" Hannah rambled, until I put my hand over her mouth to shut her up.

"It's too early for this." I grumbled, squealing in disgust when she licked my hand. I pulled it back, then playfully wiped my hand on her hoodie. I saw Optimus and Ratchet giving us strange looks. "What?" I demanded.

"I must speak with Ratchet for a moment. Please stay here and wait for us." Optimus said, hinting that they had something important to talk about. I nodded, while Hannah looked in understanding.

When they left the main room, I waited for a few minutes, making sure they were far away, before I immediately jumped out of the bed, completely ignoring Ratchet's previously given order. A hand grabbed my arm. I turn my head and saw Hannah, her face distraught.

"Don't. Please." She pleaded, her body trembling. "You have _no idea_ what went through my mind seeing you _broken_ like that." She gripped my arm tighter, hugging it with both arms. I could feel her trembling more violently as she pressed her head against my shoulder. "Just...listen to Ratchet.."

Optimus POV  
I frowned slightly as I felt my charge's distress, though I was at a loss for a reason. I refocused my optics on Ratchet, and I saw that he seemed to be frustrated at me for some reason. I waited for him to speak first.

"Optimus, why didn't you tell me?" I was at a loss for words as of how to answer his question. He didn't seem to care as he continued. "I have known you long enough, longer than _anyone_, but how in Primus' name did you meet Hannah?"

We stared for some time before I answered. "Do you remember the time in the war when Shockwave began taking prisoners for his own purpose?"

"How could I not? That was how we lost Grimlock and his team."

"The same fate befell Hannah's true family, and her home planet. Both she and Maddie were experimented upon, and both lost someone dear to them." I answered without missing a beat.

"But how does that explain the... _Oh_. I remember hearing of that mission from Prowl. You imprinted on her then?" I nodded my helm once. Ratchet gave me a grimace. "Have you told her of this yet?"

"No, I have not. I was planning to wait until a better time." I confessed.

"There may not be time to wait for a better time, Optimus. I would advise telling her as soon as possible." He placed a servo on me as he was leaving. He paused, then he let go of my shoulder, leaving me with my thoughts.

What could I do? How could she comprehend the bond, even though it was one-sided? My collective knowledge of the Primes preceding me wasn't that much of a help either. I vented a heavy sigh, before returning to where Hannah and Maddie were. My charge turned around and hopped over to me.

"Need something Bossbot?" I vented before I answered.

"Hannah, I must speak to you about something."

* * *

**So, Optimus has something to get off 'tin chest', Maddie's awake, and how is Hannah gonna respond to what Bossbot's got to say?  
Reviews please :D**


	16. Distance

**A/N: Hey guys! I'm sure you all have been waiting ever so patiently for us to get up the new chapter. Again, thank you ever so much! :D**

**A little warning for this chapter... Hints of ElitaxOptimus**

**Enjoy :D **

* * *

Distance

Hannah had no idea what to expect when her guardian asked to speak to her.

"It is of utmost importance." He assured her. With a shrug of her shoulders, she followed him down the hallway into what looked to be his office.

"Is something wrong?" she asked worriedly. He shook his head.

"It's nothing like that, I assure you. But it will need to evolve your understanding of some of our way of living." Hannah was confused by that.

"Way of living? Which part? I mean, there's a lot of theories with the fandom, but all of it not strictly labelled Canon is inconclusive. So...what're we talking here?" she asked as she was lifted onto Optimus' 'desk'.

"It concerns the marking on your chest." He said simply. Hannah's eyes widened with curiosity, and she placed her hand over where the marking was.

"Who..?"

Optimus averted his optics. And then it hit her. No. He couldn't have been the one that imprinted on her all those years ago. It seemed almost impossible. But something told her it _was_ possible.

'_It's feasible. I mean, why would he lie, or joke around about something like this?'_ she thought. '_Maddie and Starscream have a bond, but that was achieved through extraordinary circumstances._'

She looked up at the Prime, creating eye-to-optic contact as they stared at each other. Then, she did the thing the Prime least expected; Hannah fainted.

A quiet shuffling sounded in the room as Optimus turned his helm to see that it was none other than Maddie looking in on what the half-human and the Prime were doing. She stared at the leader, and he stared back. Then she looked to Hannah, and giggled a little bit.

"What happened?" she asked. The Prime's optic ridges widened slightly in surprise at her light behaviour. She then began to giggle hysterically.

"What makes this situation so amusing to you? And shouldn't you be in bed?" He asked, picking up Hannah while doing so.

"I don't know what you asked, but you're the first person to make Hannah faint, in her whole existence. Except for that Slender Man prank my friend pulled a year ago. She fainted then, too." Maddie said around her giggles. Her giggles transformed into a guffaw remembering the moment, and then it ended with a straight, serious face. "No, seriously. What _were _you going to tell her?" She had crossed her arms as she asked him this, the sound of her voice seemed accusing.

The Prime had been through alot in his life. From the war, to becoming the next in line of the Thirteen, all the way to this small planet. And yet he was afraid of telling a small human girl one of his most-kept secrets. He shuttered his optics, and explained to Maddie how he had met Hannah's family before, how he knew her as Talida, and how he was to be her bondmate.

"So...you met Talida's parents via a video they transmitted, then you rescued them when shockwave invaded, you saw Talida, Lorelie, and my dad, imprinted on Talida, sent her to earth, and now she's gonna end up bonding with you. And you told her all of this?" she asked incredulously. Optimus nodded his head. "That is... epicly epic."

Optimus wasn't even going to try and comprehend the ending of Maddie's sentence. He was accustomed to her and Hannah's abnormalities. Speaking of Hannah...

"No.. I don't want the giant marshmallow to eat me." she mumbled, still passed out.

"Well, that was fast. She talks in her sleep, by the way. A LOT." Maddie warned, before leaving the room. The door began to shut, but not before Maddie heard her friend yell out, "Stupid spiders... I don't wanna tapdance!" She facepalmed.

"She watched Harry Potter again, and she just quoted Ron Weasley." she explained to Optimus, who looked literally on the verge of glitching. She sighed, and left the room, but turned her head, stopping just before leaving. "Also, don't search it. Their movie logic will make you glitch." She left the room, and not only five minutes later, did Optimus hear Ratchet's shouting.

"GET BACK IN THAT BED OR I'LL STRAP YOU TO IT AND DON'T TAKE OUT THE IV EVER AGAIN!"

* * *

Hannah jolted awake at the obnoxiously loud voice, shrieking as she rolled straight off Optimus' hand. He instantly caught her in his other one, though she was still gasping for breath.

"What..the frack...was THAT?!" she demanded loudly. Optimus chuckled a little.

"It seems Madeleine has gotten caught out of bed. Ratchet will not be happy." He finished, smirking slightly. He looked to Hannah, he couldn't just 'dance around' this anymore. He vented, this was almost as nerve-wracking at the time he told Elita he liked her... Could it be the same as last time though?

"Tell me." He looked into his servo that held his soon-to-be-bonded in. "What did you need to say to me?"

"I, am your Promised Mate." He saw her eyes bug out almost comically, but he continued regardless. "That symbol upon your chest only shows when a Prime meets his fated partner, since the lettering is that of the Primes." He put Hannah down on his workspace, and sat down on a Transformer-sized chair. "But you." He said, folding his servos together in a business-like manner. "Are special. So much so. I am the first of the other Primes who have found their Fated. As you are also the first one outside of our race that someone as important as a Prime to imprint." He stopped, and he noticed that Hannah seemed to have a far-off look in her eyes.

"I don't believe it." She whispered this, but Optimus could hear her fine. She looked up at the Autobot leader and at the sight of him, her face brightened considerable. "How will we bond though? I mean, I know that Maddie and Screamer are bonded, but, how is it that I don't have mental contact with you?"

"I am not sure, but for now, it is only one-sided. I can receive your emotions and nothing else." He checked his internal chronometer, and noticed that it was quite late. _'Hannah should be in bed by now.'_ He guessed. Getting up, he placed Hannah on the ground. "I will try to find out why this might be between us. For now, I'm sure you would like to speak to Madeleine." Hannah nodded, and practically bounced out of his room, elated at the fact she was, hopefully, going to be bonded with the object of her obsession and fangirl affection.

"Hey Mads, Optimus wants to talk to you." she said, the biggest grin on her face. She looked around and saw that Maddie wasn't there. "Maddie... Where are you?" A feeling of dread sunk into the pit of her stomach. "Maddie..." She looked to the screen, and saw that there was some random location pointed to somewhere. "Oh... No... You couldn't... Have _dared_ to do that!" she growled.

"What is wrong?"

Hannah yelped in surprise, turning around to see the insecticon.

"Uh, Riptide, can you go get Ratchet, and Optimus, please? We may have a problem."

* * *

**Honestly, I think this is one of those filler-chapters. ANYWAY, there will be some more action in the next one. What did you think happened to Maddie?**


	17. Alignment

**A/N: So, a lot of swearing and other stuff. This chapter was actually a bit of a tear-jerker, we actually ****_cried_**** while writing this. So we really hope that you all really like this. We've also been a bit under the weather lately, but we'll get better soon!  
**

::_Bond Talk._::

**Enjoy :D**

* * *

Alignment

Maddie POV  
I had no idea what the hell went through my mind when I started the Ground Bridge. It, just happened. I had taken off my mask, staring at the mechanical components that showed. Damn. I couldn't believe that all those horrible things will happen. Bulkhead would be alright, at least, Silas was going to become Cylas. I smiled evilly as I remembered what Knock Out will do to him. It was still all bad though, Screamer will trick them all... I sighed heavily, I basically had nowhere to go. Everyone at my school didn't want anything to do with me (save for Hannah), mom would yell at me for running away again, and I just couldn't stick with the Autobots.

God this is hard.

Again I sighed. "I guess I'll have to stick with the Decepticons, then."

::_You can't be serious!_:: Starscream interrupted my thoughts.

::_You're not my dad. And besides, I now have more insight upon what could happen in the future. The Decepticons will... Do something, terrible, and I must stick with them in order for there to be an advantage to your own cause-_:: I stopped abruptly, but not soon enough.

::_What cause?_:: He asked. As though on cue, a bridge opened up in front of me, and two Eradicons emerged with Dreadwing in the lead.

::_Great, just the mech I wanted to see._:: I thought bitterly as I got up and replaced my mask, returning to my human form and looking to the _new_ second in command, seeming to have lost a bit of his confidence by what I had just done. He seemed to regain his composure, though, and took out his hand-held blaster.

"Come with me." Was all he said. I obliged, following him to the portal. I stopped just before the edge, starting to turn my head, but I stopped myself. '_No. I won't look back.'_ I thought, my eyes welling with tears. '_This is my choice, and mine alone._' I stepped through, not looking back as I openly cried, sniveling like a little kid.

"I'm sorry." I whispered quietly. "For... everything..."

* * *

Hannah POV  
This was freaking impossible! She couldn't have done such a stupid thing!

"Bloody..freaking..idiot!" I growled under my breath as I waited for Riptide to come back with Optimus and Ratchet. The others were still out, taking their human charges home. "What the hell does she think she's doing?" My voice echoed across the walls of the silo as I continued pacing. My mask sat, completely unnoticed, where Maddie should have been.

I was _fuming_.

"Hannah? What's the problem?" I heard Arcee, who for some reason was at the base, instead of Jack's house, ask, as she transformed into robot mode.

"Maddie ran away, and I don't know why." I said, about to go into full rant-mode, until I felt a wave of calm wash over me, but it wasn't because of me. My eyes widened; was Optimus able to send me his emotions?

"Woah... 'Scuse me for a moment." I said, before sprinting to where I could sense Optimus. Which still made no sense. Wait... maybe it did! '_Maybe it's like the bond from Ulur Naga's Primary Mechanisms story. It's slowly developing, instead of the instantaneousness that Screamer and Maddie experienced._' I mused, smiling slightly.

I realized that I needed to go back and get my mask, so I turned around and sprinted down the large halls until I came back to the medical bed. I picked up the clear mechanism, placing it to my face and looking human once again. Just before I was about to make my way to Optimus, I noticed a small, black, rectangular shape under the thin sheets. I widened my eyes, picking up the cell phone. This was Maddie's!

I tapped the circular button, lighting up the screen and swiping my finger across it, showing the camera that was in video mode. I looked to a little square that sat in the lower right corner of the screen. I bit my lower lip, touching the little square, the screen went black and I saw Maddie, appearing on the screen.

"_Hannah, I'm sure you have found this. But by then, I would have already been long gone._"

* * *

Maddie POV  
I stood in front of Megatron in the command deck. His size was intimidating, but I held my ground as he stared at me, observed me.

"What makes you return so willingly?" He asked, staring me down.

I put one knee down and I placed my hand across my chest. I never thought that I would do such a thing in my life until now. "I, have come to join your ranks." I raised my head, looking directly at the warlord. "As a Decepticon."

* * *

Hannah POV  
"What." I said, pausing the video. I put the phone down, walking in circles. "Maddie you can't have done this, this is a prank. Yes, an elaborate prank." I reassured myself, but it wasn't helping. Not. One. Bit.

I huffed, grabbing the phone and running over to the platform where the kids hang out. I plunked myself on the old green couch, rather harshly, but that didn't matter as I pressed the play button.

Maddie looked away and sighed in the video. "_I had a good reason to leave you. All of you. I just never fit along that well with the others, not in school, not that much in my family, not even with the Autobots, and..._" She stopped, and adjusted the phone.

"_And, there are going to be hard choices to be made. Choices that will affect everyone_."

* * *

Maddie POV  
I saw Megatron raise one of his eyebrows in question. "And why should I trust you? I know that you and Starscream have somehow switched bodies, and you could have some of his insubordination and treachery." I felt my heart rate increase and my blood run cold at what he said. He knew?! '_Oh shit!_' I thought. I breathed deeply, lowering my head.

"I can help. I have powers that no normal human has, I'm not even very human in the first place." I stopped, allowing everyone present to let what I just said sink in. "I can survive harsher extremes, heal from serious injuries in mere _days_, and I can take down one of your soldiers without any help." I said, remembering the time I took off the drone's head. A quiet murmur started in the lower decks. I strained my hearing, trying to listen.

"That little human couldn't have killed my friend." I instantly stopped listening, already feeling guilty at what I done almost a year ago.

I looked up to Megatron, and noticed a thoughtful look in his blood-red optics. "And what will you give us if you join?"

I grinned, but wiped it away just as quickly. "I give you, a lifetime of loyalty, knowledge from my time with the Autobots, and inside help."

* * *

Hannah POV  
I stopped the video once again, my face was hot, and I was on the brink of tears. I pocketed the phone and ran to Arcee. She looked down, and her face was strewn with worry at the sight of me. She place her hand on my shoulder, crouching down to my eye-level. "Hannah, what's wrong?"

"Muh-Maddie... G-get th-the oh-others here." I blubbered, hugging her indigo arm. She place a free hand to the side head.

"Optimus, Ratchet, Riptide. We have a serious problem." She stopped, as she seemed to be waiting for a response from the three mechs. "Maddie's missing from base."

* * *

Maddie POV  
The silence that ensued scared me like when I watched the warlord deciding whether or not to let Starscream return or die. I held my breath, my heart feeling like it was going to burst.

"I will let you stay."

Were my ears lying to me? I couldn't believe what he said! I looked up, trying to keep a straight face as I replied. "Really?!" My answer did not contain the relief and happiness that I was feeling at his statement.

He turned away, before he answered, "For now, since it seems that you went through all this trouble just to ask."

I stood, but my legs gave way, and I was crying silently. Thanking Primus to let me live. I wiped my face on my sleeve and got up, my legs feeling stronger. I placed a hand across my chest, and bowed. "What is your first order, Lord Megatron?"

* * *

Hannah POV  
I was shaking uncontrollably as the bots came into the main room, hugging tightly to Arcee, and crying my eyes out. I could sense Optimus in the room before I looked up to see him, followed by Ratchet and Riptide.

"Where's Maddie?" Asked Riptide, looking to me. He recoiled at the sight of me. "Oh."

"Hannah, did Madeleine leave anything behind?" I nodded at Optimus' question, taking out Maddie's phone, and pressed the play button, continuing from where I left it off.

"_I must say to all of you, that I will miss you. And this decision will weigh heavily upon my mind._" She let out a weak huff of a laugh. "_Hannah, remember when I wanted to be a Decepticon? Well, I guess my wish is coming true. But, the next time you will see me, I can't talk to you, and I would have changed by then._" She continued cryptically, wiping away at the tears that were beginning to fall. "_If you don't see me at school tomorrow, then the worst has happened and I wasn't accepted. I hope desperately that I will, though, and that I will see you again..._" She sniffed, placing her forearm over her eyes, sobbing a little. She continued speaking though, arm still on her face. "_Hannah, you were my one and only true friend all these years, ever since we were little, we sticked together through it all, but now, I'm afraid that we must part ways for now._" She removed her arm, and kissed two of her fingers. "_Til all are one._"

And the video ended.

* * *

Maddie POV  
"You will get a diagnostic from Knock Out." I raised my head at the order that my new 'leader' gave me.

"Why would I need a checkup from Knock Out?" I asked, honestly curious as to why that was. But he waved me off as the cherry-red medic kneeled down and lowered his hand next to me. I hesitated, before gently stepping on his silver servo. He stood and began to walk to where he worked.

"How does it feel to be back?"

I looked up at the sports car, I stayed silent, not feeling like talking. I began to fidget with my hands before I gave in to his question. "Well, it's hard to describe. Being treated like an honored guest the first time I came, then the second time, you tricked me and brought me here as a prisoner." I saw him frown slightly, probable remembering what he did.

"I was ordered, and I didn't want to upset our lord." Was all he simply said. He looked down to me. "Continue."

I sighed, there was no use in lying to him, he DID help us almost a year ago. "Now... I'm not exactly sure. It's almost like meeting a person that you haven't seen in years and you forgot each other during that time until you see each other, and you try to accept that the two of you changed... But you can't, or it's not easy to do so..." I stopped myself, and I folded my hands together.

"I can see your situation, felt strange at first when I first got aboard this ship, but I got used to it. Eventually." He explained to me as I noticed my breathing get a little ragged. The medic stopped walking in response. "You okay?"

I rubbed my face with my hands. "Yeah, it's just. I did something terrible to join, and now I'm paying the price." I answered through my hands, removing them when I was done talking. I felt movement as Knock Out began to walk again.

We were quiet for the longest time.

* * *

Hannah POV  
I blinked. My face still warm and the tears that were flowing freely had stopped and dried on my face. "Bullcrap." I said, and I felt every pair of optics on me at my reaction. "THIS IS _BULL_!" I shouted. Still unbelieving at what I had just seen, just heard. It was impossible! How could Maddie just leave like that!? Leave us?!

Leave me.

"Maddie..." I wailed, hugging Acree tightly. "Maddie... How could you do this to me?!" I felt the motorcycle's hand stroke my head as I cried.

"I'm sorry, Hannah." I heard Ratchet say, I felt his large hand behind me, but I hit it away as I tore myself from Arcee, and began to run away from the group of Autobots, I didn't care. I just ran.

And ran.

And ran.

And ran.

I stopped, heaving breaths in and out of my system. I sniffed, and wiped my face of the fresh tears that fell. By the time I took a look around where I was, I realized that I was lost in the base. I looked around, to my left was a grate that shielded a huge fan spinning slowly, and to my right, was a long hallway with some pipe-looking thing going down the uniform walls and snaked up to the ceiling.

I sighed, and walked over to the plain wall in front of me, I turned around and leaned my back against it, and I slid to the cold floor. I rested my head on my drawn knees and hugged my legs, embracing myself. I blinked back the tears that threatened to fall yet again. This must have been what Optimus felt when he used to be Orion, and he and Megatronus had to part ways.

I looked at Maddie's phone again. But I noticed something that I hadn't last time I looked.

A little white speck, and it looked like paper. I removed the rubber casing to her phone, and I saw what I was looking for; a small square of paper, perfectly fitted into the case. It was just a plain piece of paper, albeit the corners a little tattered. I grabbed the paper, and began to unfold it. I only unfolded it once, and another piece of paper fell out. I read Maddie's handwriting, labeled _To Mom._ And I looked to the square in my hand, it had more of Maddie's writing, but it said _To Hannah, Miko, Jack and Raf_.

I quickly continued unfolding the paper with my name on it and began to read it. I couldn't stop crying as I read it.

"Oh Maddie..." I breathed.

* * *

Maddie POV  
We entered the medical bay, which was empty, and Knock Out put me on some sort of table. "Stay here while I get ready." He ordered me as he walked off somewhere.

I observed the room. Which, (as I counted,) had six, angled beds in some sort of semicircle. I could see a large monitor, much larger than Ratchet's back at base, but it was dark blue with fuchsia lettering.

::_Where are you?_::

::_In one of the med-bays, Starscream._::

::_WHY DID YOU DO IT!?_:: I winced at the loudness to Starscream's question in my head. His anger was soon replaced with sadness. ::_Why?.. Did you?_::

I sighed, damn this was a lot harder that I thought my situation would be. ::_I...had to do it, Screamer, it's like I said. 'I know more about the future now.' And this is to help you in this future._:: I stopped, remembering what Megatron would do to finding out his true intentions.

::_Don't call me that. Also, you must be insane if you decided to do this._:: I was taken aback at what he said, beginning to fume as I slammed a mental wall between us, not caring about what he said. But a lingering regret stayed with me, I couldn't tell if it was mine or Starscream's. I was distracted as Knock Out walked to me, holding some sort of rectangular piece of metal. Knock Out had an eager smile on his white face, which unsettled me a little.

"Now." He started as he walked over to me. "I need you to lie down and stay still as I do a few scans on you." I did as he instructed, and a blue light emanated from the object it went over my entire body, and I felt slightly violated in the process, but I ignored the feeling as the medic went to the monitor, typed in something, and frowned deeply.

"What's wrong?" I asked, sitting up.

"I see your bond with Starscream has... strengthened, so to speak." he said. He still had a frown on his face.

"Ratchet had a theory about that," I said thoughtfully. "I think, when Silas' men almost killed me, Starscream's spark was keeping me going, until Ratchet was able to stabilize me." I explained. "So, that would have strengthened the bond." I finished.

"Take off your mask." Again, I did as he said, reverting to my Petromann form. "Now, I need to scan you one more time. Just need to confirm something." He explained as I laid down once more, and experienced that same sense of violation from before. "Hm, it seems that keeping you going was not the only thing Starscream's spark did." My eyes widened with horror. Was it even possible?

"What is it?" I asked, my voice mirroring my horror. Knock Out turned around, a confused look on his flawless face.

"What do- OH. No, it's absolutely _nothing_ like _that_." He said, shaking his head. "I just had to be sure that the bond's existence was actually logical in some way." He turned as he said this, and typed on the monitor. The screen showed a picture of me in my human form, then slowly, it began to pixelate and it soon showed my alien form. I sat up, crossing my legs and replaced my mask, intent on listening what he had to to tell me.

"Tell me everything you learned since Starscream and I left." I stared at the red medic, and he seemed to be intimidated at the stare I held. I lifted the mental wall that barricaded the two of us, I wanted to have Starscream hear what I was about to learn.

Knock Out stared back, unknowing that two beings were looking. He turned, typed something again, and I noticed a small circle appear in the middle of my chest, a line outstretched from where the circle was, flatlined, and a small box with the same strange writing written on there, and a heartbeat began to sound.

But it sounded more like a _Cybertronian_ one.

And yet, it was _mine._

* * *

Hannah POV  
"Hannah..." I could hear Riptide call out down the hall. "Where are you?" I ignored the Insecticon, and began to pick up the pieces of paper (the one I just read having tears on it) and collected Maddie's phone. I thus began to walk to where Riptide was, I could feel nothing as he took me to where Optimus and the others were waiting.

"Take me to where Maddie lives, now." I demanded. Hearing the bridge start up, I went through, and I soon found myself in front of a two-story house on a hill.

Maddie's house.

I stared at the house. This could be the one and only chance that I could get. I took in a breath, walked to the door, and knocked.

Immediately, the door flew open. "Maddie!" The woman before me stopped and looked at me. "Oh, hello Hannah."

"Hello, Misses Wren." I pulled out the paper meant for her. "Maddie wanted me to give this to you." She took it without hesitation, and began to read it. I watched her put a hand over her mouth, and I noticed that there were tears falling down her face. I reached out a hand to try and comfort her, but she brushed it away, and she had a _very_ angry look on her face.

"Where is she?" she demanded, her voice low.

"Um, on the Decepticon Warship, Nemesis. But, we don't know where that is." I said, cringing slightly away from the furious disbelief at that statement.

"This is _BULLSHIT!_" Maddie's mom screamed. I jumped back half a step.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Wren! It's not my fault she snuck through the groundbridge while the others were out!" I tried defending myself.

"Not _that._" She said sternly. "I _meant_ the 'Decepticon Warship' bit. Transformers does not exist!" she snapped. I growled.

"Do you need proof, Ms. Wren? I can _give_ you proof, if you'll _come with me._"

Maddie's mom sighed, as though she was exhausted.

"Alright."

* * *

**Bum bum bum. I think this was the best cliffhanger we've written so far. I'm proud of us. **

**Reviews make us happy, please make us happy and leave one. Thank you! :D  
**


	18. Revealment and Revelations

**A/N: So, I'm sure that everyone else is as depressed as we are about the season finally of Transformers Prime... We can't tell you how long we cried about the ending. AND THEN we have to be tortured for five MONTHS until the next season rolls on over.  
**

**Also, we've decided to keep the story-telling to third person for a bit, hope ya'll don't mind. Also, because of how RIDICULOUS high school is (and because I've got writers' block AGAIN), I'm going on a one-month Hiatus. This will be the last post for this story for a month, and at the end of November/first week of December we'll get it on rolling again. Also, if you want more info on the Hiatus, go to my profile please. Thanks!  
**

**One more thing, in eleven days, it's my birthday! :D  
**

**::_Bond talk_::  
_'Thoughts.'_  
**

**Enjoy :D  
**

* * *

Revealment and Revelations

Hannah quickly took out her phone and dialed the Autobots from base.

"Hannah here. I've got Maddie's mom. Can we get a bridge?" she asked, none of her usual joking tone or jibes in her voice. There was a moment's pause, and her face darkened with anger. "Damn it, Ratchet, open the bridge!" she snapped. "I know humans aren't supposed to know about you guys, but unless you want a big investigation going in your face, she has know." she added, sounding a little calmer.

With a flash and a whooshing sound, a green-and-blue portal appeared out of nowhere. Hannah turned her head, smiled, hung up and put the phone away.

"Ready?" she asked Maddie's mom. Unsurely, the older woman nodded, and allowed herself to be led through the green-blue tunnel.

* * *

_Nemesis Warship_  
"How...is that possible?" Maddie asked quietly. The bright red medic turned, and noticed the half-human holding her face in her servos. He approached Maddie, as he wanted to comfort her, but something in his processor told him not to do so. So he did the best thing he could think of: Explain.

"Well, seeing as you have a, er, sparkbond, with Starscream, and Sparkbonds cannot exist without two sparks, it seems logical. And, adding to that, your... what species are you again?"

"Petromann."

"Ah, right. Adding to that, your Petromann form is made of, what appears to be, a biological compound remarkably similar to energon, if not exact." he finished. Maddie stayed quiet for a moment, before a frown made it's way onto her face.

"And.. what about Talida?" she asked. She only called Hannah Talida because she didn't want the Decepticons to think she was attached in any way to the Autobot supporter.

"Talida?"

Maddie almost facepalmed when she remembered that they never knew Hannah's name. "The Nanourta femme." she clarified irritably. Knock Out nodded, remembering the strange girl. "I'm sure you got to... observe her natural form?" Maddie added. Once again, Knock Out nodded.

"Yes. The biological compound her Nanourta body is comprised of is nearly exactly the same as yours, but in a malleable liquid form." the medic explained. Maddie nodded, feigning boredom. Then she had a thought.

"Dreadwing didn't seem very happy when I turned into my human form, when they picked me up. Do you know why?"  
Knock Out chuckled as he recalled the larger mech's irritation with the other femme, Talida apparently.

"In her very short stay on the warship, this 'Talida' girl managed to make him glitch, after escaping her containment unit in the brig. How she did either of those things, I don't know. He's not particularly fond of humans because of that." he answered sheepishly. Maddie laughed loudly, her voice reverberating off the metal walls.

"That's not all she did, was it?" she continued questioning, a knowing smirk on her face. Maddie was sure that if transformers could blush, Knock Out's face would be as red as the rest of him.

"She used some sort of carving tool to attack my paintjob." he said, seeming embarrassed. Maddie gave him a look that said to continue. "She scratched up my shoulders, put a strange symbol on my leg, and wrote - err, something, on the other leg."  
Maddie was quiet for a few seconds, before the started laughing quietly.

"Two questions; one, what did the symbol look like? Two, what were the words?" she asked. Knock Out huffed, he didn't want to talk about it.

"The symbol was... a circle with an 'X' on it, and-"

"That would be the operator symbol." Maddie interrupted, snickering.

"What?"

"Just a human thing. The words?"

Knock Out sighed, still embarrassed. "It said 'I'm a pretty princess'." he mumbled. Maddie continued to snicker.

_'Ah, the joys of private jokes..'_ she thought amusedly.

* * *

_Autobot Base...  
_Natalie had no idea what to expect in walking through a vortex and suddenly finding herself in a large room full of giant robots. The largest in the room, walked forward to her and Hannah, to which the girl practically bounced over to like she knew it. She turned around, with a look on her face somewhere between excitement and seriousness.

"Optimus, guys, I would like you to meet Maddie's mom, Natalie. Ms. Wren, Optimus Prime, Arcee, Bumblebee, Riptide, Ratchet, and Bulkhead, also known as Team Prime."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Natalie. I only wish it had been under better circumstances." Optimus said as he knelt down. Natalie looked close to fainting. She looked to Hannah.

"I.. think I believe you now. But," she looked back to Optimus a moment later. "Why did Maddie...why would she.." she trailed off, unable to put her thoughts into words as reality set in.

"Join the Cons? We're not sure, other than what Maddie's letters said." Arcee contributed.

"How long has Maddie personally known you all?" Natalie suddenly asked.

"Since that one week, last year, when she supposedly went missing. I suppose I'll be able to ask her tomorrow, unless she's a no-show at school, which wouldn't surprise me." Hannah was the one to answer the question. Her eyes were tight, and angry, despite the calming waves attempting to wash over her mind. When Natalie wasn't looking at her, she glowered slightly at the Autobot leader. She wasn't in the mood to be comforted, or calmed. This matter wasn't going to get more serious than this.

"So, wait, what you all are saying is that my daughter is an alien and so is her best friend?" Maddie's mom queried after a long explanation of current events.

"Yes, Miss Wren, it does." replied Ratchet irritably. "But don't let me tell you about her sister-"

"Sister? Maddie doesn't have a sister." Every pair of both eyes and optics went from passive to shocked in a moment, other than Hannah. She was just suspicious.

"What are you talking about?" Arcee asked. "I have heard about those two, thanks to Ratch here, but is that true?"

"Misses Wren, how could you have not known that Maddie had a twin?" Asked Ratchet in disbelief. Natalie just stared at nothing while she was bombarded with the questions.

"Maddie doesn't have a twin sister. She was an only child from the moment she was born, I should know!" She exclaimed, exasperatedly. "Whoever this girl is, she is not related to Maddie!"

"Shockwave!" Hannah suddenly exclaimed. Everybody looked to her. "Well, think about it! Mylah could be one of his experiments, brainwashed to think she's Maddie's sister!" she defended her claim.

"Interesting theory, but a bit of a long shot." Ratchet said. "I have heard about some of his theories about manipulating neurological programming of organics, but I never thought that he would actually use this in his twisted schemes."

"But what about her 'sister'?" Asked Bulkhead. It was Optimus who answered.

"When breaking into Shockwave's laboratory, I came across one of his files that spoke about some sort of 'Protection Program', of what kind, I do not know." Natalie looked horror-struck.

"A-are you.. saying? That my daughter, is some sort of alien labrat?!" She screeched this, an outburst that gained everyone's attention. Then the grown woman began to cry. No one did anything as they stared at her, unknowing as of what to do. But Hannah hugged the older woman. "I just want to see her again.. Just, once."

Silence entered the silo.

* * *

_Nemesis_  
Megatron entered the med-bay, to be greeted by a giggling human and his Medic seeming embarrassed. "I see you two are getting along quite well already."

Both stopped and had their full attention to the former gladiator. Knock Out bowed. "My liege, the diagnostic has been completed." Maddie's face was void of emotion as she witnessed the situation unfold in front of her. She began to fidget as the red medic began to tell their Lord all that he had told her. She soon began to regret leaving her phone behind, regret doing what she had done...

_'No. I must stick with this.'_ She thought, shaking her head. Sadness overtook her senses and she began to silently cry. "It was my choice and mine alone."

"And what choice was that?"

Maddie jumped at the warlord's question. She quickly wiped away the tears, resuming her emotionless state. "Nothing, my Lord. It was nothing."

"Oh but I am sure it was not, seeing as that you were crying." Maddie stayed silent. Megatron bared his sharp denta in a grimace. "I asked you a question, human, now answer it."

"It was a hard choice I had made, and it still weighs on my mind heavily, as..." She stopped, being at a loss for words. _'I joined because I want to save my bonded from the future, betraying all that I know and love.'_ She finished to herself. Megatron seemed satisfied with the answer, as he turned to the blue monitor behind him.

"I see that you have a different form. Are you willing to show it to me?"

"I can't." She said simply.

"And why is that?"

"I only use it when necessary, as I find my human form and my other nonhuman aspects some of my sharper weapons." She explained, suddenly realizing that she had almost quoted what Starscream will say in the future. "But, I do have a very useful tool that I can use as an advantage." The half-human continued, absentmindedly touching her face. Megatron pressed his lips together, that same thoughtful look in his red optic.

"Show me."

Maddie did nothing for a moment, but obliged by slowly taking off the mask, her human form pixelating away as she did this, showing her true form to the mighty Megatron. The Lord's brow plating raised up at the sight before him, optics widening, baffled for a moment at what he was witnessing before him. "Intriguing." He stated, placing a clawed servo to the lower half of his helm, and bowed his large form over the tiny girl.

"So, you are made of some sort of organic compound of energon. That would explain why you have a signal. But how is it that you have a spark like we do?"

"That, I am not sure of, lord Megatron." Knock Out answered lyingly to the question that was asked, and in response, Megatron turned and stood tall, glaring at the red medic, who shrunk back slightly .

"I advise you keep your mouth shut, or I'll get one of the workers to seal it shut." The medic nodded his helm as the warlord began to leave, stopping at the open door. "And I suggest that you watch the human, as she might have some of Starscream's treachery."

And with that, he left.

Maddie looked to Knock Out, replacing her mask, she had no idea what to do next. Knock Out looked to the half-human, he smiled, placing his servo before her. "Might as well show you around the place then." She carefully stepped onto his hand again, the sports car set her onto his shoulder, Maddie seemed slightly curious as to why he was doing this, but her silent question was answered by the red Decepticon. "Thought you'd like to be comfortable."

Maddie sensed a twinge of jealousy from Starscream, mixed with sadness as well, because he couldn't be there with her, be there with him. Knock Out could see the pained face on the human that sat next to his helm as he walked down the dark, sparsely lit corridors. _'I might as well show you my living quarters first.'_ He thought silently to himself, turning a corner to the officers' living spaces.

* * *

_Autobot Base_  
"I'll have to get home, think about it on my own." Hannah looked up to the older woman she had tried to comfort, she hugged her tighter in response. "So much has just happened in one day, and I need to process what I have just learned about Maddie."

"Front door's right here." Said Ratchet, who had already started up the bridge, rude as ever. His hardened look softened a little. "I still can't believe what has happened today..."

"Well, it was nice to meet all of you." Natalie waved off the rest of them and walked through the portal, suddenly finding herself in front of her house. Walking to the door, she pulled out the letter that Hannah had delivered to her;

'Mom, I'm sorry that I couldn't see you one more time before I left. And I'm sorry for missing again for a few days, but I need you to know that I love you. Never forget that. I will try to see you again when school lets out at the end of the week.

'Never forget.  
-Maddie'

_'Never forget.'_ The older woman thought to herself, a ghost of a smile on her lips. Tears began to stream down her face once again as she entered her home and leaned against the door, holding the note tightly in her hands. "But what is it that I mustn't forget?" She asked herself, slowly sinking to the floor. With all that's happened in just a year, her daughter closing herself off from everyone else after being missing for a week, to... This.

What was going on?!

* * *

_Next Day- School_  
Hannah was left at school like all the other kids, dropped off by their parent. Everything seemed normal. That was, until she saw a bright red Aston Martin parked in front of the school. She narrowed her eyes as she saw a familiar girl get out, but she looked so... different.

_'Maddie.. what happened?'_ she thought. She saw a group of girls get around her friend, and all of them were dressed like sluts for eighth-graders. Hannah groaned. _'Not those three again..'_ She tried to get close to the four, but she was being dragged away by the crowd.

"Excuse me.." at first she was polite, but as she grew more and more frustrated, she finally yelled "OUT! OF! MY! WAY!" Everybody moved, and she stormed up to Maddie, past the trio of girls that usually harassed herself and Maddie, before she did something nobody was expecting; she punched her. Right in the face.

"You fucking idiot!" Everyone gathered in a circle around the two girls, trying to get a view of the 'bitch's' best friend hitting her. But, when Hannah noticed the crowd, she leaned closer so she could whisper quietly enough that not even the Jones Twins, who were trying to subtly inch closer, would hear.

"I always knew you were never an Autobot, but I never thought you'd join them." she whispered, tears filling her eyes. Maddie looked at her friend, shocked, not only because of what she'd said and done, but because she looked different. Her eyes were slightly blue, and her hair seemed... more burgundy than chocolate brown. When the hell had that happened, she wondered.

"I... I'm sorry.." she said, as quietly as she could. Hannah scoffed, backing away.

"No way in hell is '_Sorry_' good enough anymore." she growled, stalking off. The crowd parted instantly, and began to scatter as teachers began coming around.

Maddie had a hand reaching out to where her friend stormed off, but let it fall to her side, leaving the matter alone for now. Then the sluts came and began to pester her.

"So, Maddie Wren has lost her one and only friend. What a pity." She said sarcastically, flipping her coiled hair back. She stopped, taking a good look at the girl in front of her. "What the fuck are you supposed to be?"

Maddie's hair was platinum blond, and put into a braid that went to the middle of her back, her face was pale, missing any blemishes or flaws she may have had before, and there was a small red streak right where her part usually was in her hair, going straight down the middle. She wore a black tattered trench coat jacket with patches on the elbows of the sleeves, across her shoulder was a messenger bag, and she wore some sort of necklace around her neck.

If no one knew better, she almost looked like a human version of a _very certain_ former Decepticon seeker.

Leaving the slutty girls behind with their criticizing looks, she walked off to class, a dull look in her now-red eyes.

* * *

_Few Hours Later..._  
Maddie waited for her ride to be here, but he was late, and she had no phone, so she sat on the steps leading to her school. She'd watched her used-to-be best friend get picked up by a familiar red and blue semi nearly an hour ago. She sighed, resting her chin in one of her hands. 'Damn it, Knock Out. You promised to be here when school let out.' She heard movement from behind her, but she ignored it, already knowing who it was.

"Alone again, are we?" A familiar voice taunted. 'Curse those fragging sluts.' Maddie thought angrily to herself. Suddenly, she was forced around, and came face-to-face to the 'leader' of the trio, with that same criticizing look as before. "What? You think bleaching your hair, getting extensions, color contacts, and getting a new wardrobe will make you liked by everyone here at this school?" She slapped her, but she didn't care as the girl on front of her continued to rant. "You're the ugliest thing at this school I've ever seen, I still can't believe you hadn't already left! Stuck in your little fantasy world! That's where you've been, you - ugly - BITCH!" She had slapped Maddie three more times in between those last words, spitting out the words and screeching out the last one in her face.

"At least I don't wear booty skirts." Maddie said this more to herself than anyone else. The girl glared down at her, eyes filled with hate.

"What. Did you say?" She grabbed the braid Maddie wore, pulling on it painfully, forcing her into her face, almost touching. "Little girl, I dare you to say it again." Her voice was low, and threatening. Maddie's dull eyes only stared for a moment, intimidating the girl before her with cold, calculating eyes.

"At least, I don't wear clothes like some attention whore like you. Do you want to know what I think of you?" She said all of this calmly, scaring the other two girls enough for them to back away slowly. "You, are the stupidest creature to have ever crossed my path, and I hate so much, it hurts. But what I am about to do won't hurt me as much as it will hurt you."

A second later, a high pitched scream filled the air around them as Maddie gripped the girl's neck, proceeding to squeeze the life out of her. The half-human's face held a strange half-smile as she did this, relishing in the girl's pain, her eyes wide, as if in surprise, but actually with the hate that tore her inside out over the years, filled with a sadistic glee at the little creature's futile attempts to be released from her grasp. In an instant, Maddie's face fell, her eyes now filled with fear as she had now realized what she just did. Her grip loosened, letting the girl in front of her fall to the ground in a crying heap.

Soon after, she too began to cry.

* * *

Autobot Base  
"Are you sure that's what you saw?" Arcee questioned the girl in front of her. Hannah nodded.

"I was _there_. I saw Maddie get out of Doc Knock at school, and I, uh." She stopped, not exactly ready to tell the motorbike what she had done that morning, nor was she quite ready to accept the fact that their friendship was now over. She sighed. "I, um, punched her in the face when I got near." Acree's optics widened.

"You couldn't have done such a thing! Hannah, what were you _thinking?_" Jack exclaimed, surprised that someone would do such a thing.

"Uh, hello? Their friendship pretty much ended when she joined _Them_." Stated Miko, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"No. Jack's right. I don't know what I was thinking." Hannah said quietly. "Actually, I don't even know _what_ to think anymore!" At that moment, as if called upon, Optimus walked into the room with everyone else. Arcee turned to her leader.

"Is it true? What she said?" The Prime nodded his blue helm slowly.

"It is true, Madeleine has somehow changed her appearance to that of someone else. Someone that I am sure you would all recognise." As he said this, he had turned to the monitor and typed up something. On it showed Maddie, sitting on the steps of the school, alone.

"Is it just me..." Raf started.

"Or does Maddie look like Starscream?" Jack finished. Arcee crossed her arms over her chassis, frowning deeply.

"How is that possible for her to do that in just a day? I mean, as awesome as her outfit is-"

"Miko, if you don't shut up for once I'll.." Ratchet muttered at the end of whatever threat he had in mind, silencing the Asian girl. "Now, to answer your question. Hannah, your mask, if you please."

Unsurely, Hannah removed her mask and handed it to Ratchet. He scanned it, and displayed some sort of holographic image of it that was enlarged.

"This mask is actually a variation of the Cybertronian Holoform Technology. The image displayed can be altered easily, just by changing the codes around a bit." he explained.

"So that's how Maddie looks like female Starscreecher?" Miko asked. Hannah snickered quietly.

"Looks like it." Raf said. "But I still don't understand why she placed herself with them."

"Being a Decepticon is a _choice_, one that I would have _never_ thought any of _you_ would _ever_ do." Ratchet vented tiredly. Arcee placed a servo on his arm, which comforted the emergency vehicle some.

"Don't worry about us, Ratch. I'm sure Miko and Hannah would drag us right back if we even _considered_ going with the cons." Jack joked.

"Not that we would." Raf reassured. The kids laughed. Well, all of them except for Hannah, who snuck off into the depths of the base, with the intention that she needed to talk to her guardian. Alone.

"Do you not wish to be with the others?" Optimus asked. Hannah shook her head.

"No. They're awesome, but I can only handle them in small doses, so to speak. You don't count for that, you're always awesome." she said, a small giggle escaping her. "Seriously though, I don't know what to do anymore. Aside from meeting you guys, and finding out I'm an alien, now I have to deal with my best friend going Decepticon on me. As if my world wasn't already upside down."

The slightest of frowns was on the Prime's faceplate as he listened to his Intended, since they could only feel each others' emotions, he noticed that she almost had the same from emotions when he and Megatron parted ways so early in the war. Pain, grief, fear, anger, guilt and sadness. "It was not your fault that she left."

"But it was! If only I talked to her, said 'hey, how's it going', instead I was blinded by my own anger! Some friend I am! Look around you, Optimus, we just lost someone from Team Prime. I lost someone important to me, and it ended completely when I hit her in the face." Anguish filled her face as she finished. Although the Matrix Optimus carried within him limited his emotions, he felt sorrowful at the condition the girl before him was in.

Gently, he reached his hand down, palm up as an offering. Hannah climbed on, curling into a ball in the palm, drawing and holding her knees to her chest with her arms.

"I'm sorry. Here I am, breaking down in your hand, like it's the end of the world." she mumbled, trying to hide the tears that were streaming down her face. With a single finger, Optimus tipped her chin up so he could look at her eye-to-optic.

"Please, do not be ashamed to show your emotions, least of all around me." he said, and she was soothed by the baritone rumble that was his voice. Now, in the quiet corridor, she let herself cry, burying her face in her knees as she began convulsing with sobs. Because she knew Optimus would never judge her, call her a baby or anything like that. He would comfort her, but he wouldn't tell her to bottle up her emotions, like some other people she knew.

She was free around Optimus, and the realizations of that statement hit her hard, at that exact moment. Slowly, after several minutes, she dried the last of her tears, and opened her eyes.

"Thanks. As much as I'd probably never admit it, I needed that." she said, her voice slightly hoarse. She felt Optimus' understanding, and it was comforting. She sat up and stared into his blue optics, a kind and gentle smile on his faceplate.

"I, have something to give you." He said, pulling out a small, blue datapad. Hannah took the small device, which in her hands, was the size of a small picture frame. She touched the screen, and it lit up, showing several holo-images cycling through. One showed a group picture of the team of Autobots, quickly switching to a twosome of girls, Maddie and Hannah, it cycled next to a portrait of a Nanourtan girl with light pink eyes. Lorelie. Hannah lowered the object, it turning off in the process.

"Thank you, so much, for everything you have done. From saving my life, as a baby and now. And just... helping me deal with this, it's nice of you, to say the least." Hannah sounded as if she had more to say, but she couldn't bring herself to say it, let alone feel it. But Optimus knew, without those three words, those three little words. So seemingly meaningless, and yet able to speak volumes of ones' feeling for another. Such a small thing to say, and yet so hard to do so.

Hannah held the datapad to her heart, holding it dearly. She opened her mouth, and whispered those three words:

"I love you."

* * *

_Nemesis - Command Deck_  
"Knock Out should have been back a while ago, Lord Megatron." spoken mech turned his grey helm to find his second in command, Dreadwing, standing behind him. Footfalls were sounded as the bright red medic entered with the human femme in his servo.

"You rang?" He stopped walking, placed the girl down on the floor, and stepped back. Megatron noticed a look of utter shock on her face. Knock Out noticed his master's unspoken question, and answered. "She claims to have almost offlined another human."  
Megatron's brow plating furrowed, he growled. "Is that a matter that would sound important, in any way possible?" He asked angrily. "Take the femme to your quarters. I do not wish to be distracted." he ordered with a dismissing wave of his servo. Knock Out nodded mutely, picking Maddie up and leaving once again. The red mech sent a slightly worried look to the human that sat in his servo, who at the moment, was sitting on her hind quarters and hugging her knees.

When they had entered his room, Maddie silently began to cry. Knock Out carefully placed her on his berth (which was surprisingly soft, she noticed) and he left her alone for a moment. When she finally stopped crying, Maddie saw that she was all by herself in the room. 'Good.' she thought. 'I miss speaking to you, Starscream.'

::_I'm still mad at you for placing yourself with my enemies_:: He replied bitterly. ::_Anyway, I'm already formulating a plan to get you out of there. I've found a functional laboratory with some protoforms and calculations for cloning_:: Maddie's eyes widened while he spoke. Was it already time for that episode to happen? That was confirmed as she felt pinpricks on her arm.

::_Starscream.._::

::_Yes?_::

::_Thank you, for trying to get us back together_:: She felt his loneliness, his sadness, of what he was about to do, about to suffer for. For a moment, she felt five different entities in the bond, but Starscream closed it off before she could tell what was going on. _'Primus help us.'_ She thought desperately as the door to the room slid open.

* * *

**See ya in a month then, drop a review please. :)**


	19. Gone

**A/N: I totally missed you guys over the month that I was absent! Aaaaaand~ You all get an extra-long chapter for being so patient :)  
Waiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit, hold up. *Checks chapter length* 7000 WORDS!? This is the longest chapter that we have ever written! 8o  
**

**ALSO, IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED THE SEASON FINALLY OF TRANSFORMERS PRIME, THERE WILL BE A VERY BIG SPOILER TOWARDS THE END OF THE CHAPTER. WATCH THE SEASON FINALLY, THEN READ THIS CHAPTER PLEASE! THANK YOU!  
**

"Soundwave 'talking'"  
_:::Hannah/OP bondtalk:::_  
_'Thoughts'_

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

Gone

Two mechs came through the sliding door. One of them was none other than Megatron himself, and behind him was Soundwave. '_As loyal as they get.'_ Thought Maddie as she stood tall, fully aware that this meeting would not end well. She bowed gracefully. "And to what does my Lord grace me with his presence?"

"Enough of your terrible acting, I am here to give you an order that you cannot refuse." Maddie heard the gladiator's fusion cannon charging. "And if you wish to continue existing, you are to tell me Starscream's location. Now!"

She began to shake violently, this was it, the end of the road, for her. At least, she would leave with a bang, but she wouldn't leave without saying something to this cold-sparked pit-spawned killer. "Do what you will. I won't betray him, nor will I ever say that I regretted any of my actions." The heat of the cannon began to burn her slightly. "You are the _worst_ thing to have ever existed in _any_ universe, I hope-_ No_. I _promise_ that you _will_ regret ever killing me."

It all happened in an instant.

Megatron fired his cannon, causing the small room to rumble, and in a millisecond, the half-human had exploded into a million shards, and became scattered about the room, some liquefying and splashing on the killer and observer. Megatron lowered his arm, and stared at the scorch mark that stood where the girl once was. "Pathetic." Was all the murderer said as Soundwave moved out of his way. The mute mech scanned the room, to which he noticed a large shard in the center of the mark, and, it held a life-signal.

Soundwave suppressed his hope, however small it was, that the girl was still somehow alive, but his hope began to die as the bright white light that emanated from this shard began to dim, to fade. The spy sent a message to the medic, requesting immediate help. There was still a chance!

* * *

"Oww... My head gasket..." Bulkhead groaned as he put a black servo to his helm and rose out of a pile of packaged energon. "Woah." He vented as he looked around the storage area, stepping back and almost falling through a large hole in the metal floor. "Woah!" He exclaimed in surprise, swiftly turning around and carefully leaned over to see a vast white blanket of clouds, miles up above the ground.

"Ratchet, you're not going to believe where I am." There wasn't an answer as the green mech tried to contact base, he frowned. "Scrap." He cursed as dread filled the wrecker and he walked to the only door in the room, Decepticon warship or not, he was getting off this boat!

Bulkhead carefully stepped out the door that slid out of his way, only to almost run into some Eradicons. He tried to get back into the room, but the door shut itself, locking the mech out. He quickly hid himself behind one of the beams holding the hall up. He sighed in relief when the footsteps faded away, and began walking away from them as fast and quietly as he could, only to bump into somebody else. He had his cannons out and aimed instantly, only to see an unexpected face.

"Starscream?" he quietly exclaimed. The ex-Decepticon looked exasperated as he lifted a clawed fist in front of his face.

"Why is it, that _everytime_ I return to my own stomping grounds, I find an _Autobot_ roaming the halls?" He muttered irritably, his hand gestures extremely overexaggerated. Bulkhead narrowed his eyes as he had a reasonable thought.

"Don't tell me you came crawling back to Megatron." he growled threateningly.

"Hardly. Now _get out of my way!_" the slender seeker spat, attempting to walk past the wrecker. Bulkhead stopped him.

"Wait, Scream, you gotta show me a way off this boat." he implored. The seeker sneered.

"Well, I'm sorry, but you're going to have do something in exchange for _me_ if I help _you_. Which I won't. Now MOVE, or you'll meet the same fate as your dearly departed Cliffjumper!" He lashed out at the wrecker, giving him a long but shallow gash on his chassis. The mech that was attacked returned it in full force, knocking down the seeker, pinning him in the process, and started to beat the life out of Starscream.

"This is for Bumblebee!-" _Wham!_ "-For Cliffjumper!" He hit the silver mech again and paused, staring down at the one under him who was now an utter mess. Bulkhead gave the seeker a cold, long, hard stare. "For everything." He used all his strength in that last blow, killing Starscream.

Bulkhead got up, suddenly realizing what he had just done out of pure hatred and anger. He turned away from the now-lifeless frame, he turned his helm back. "Sorry, I had no choice."

Then he ran off into the depths of the warship.

* * *

"Soundwave you're lucky that I keep medical supplies in my room!" The aforementioned spy looked the the red medic, working away on something that would, hopefully, keep the girl alive. "I cannot believe that such a thing would happen! Anything not cybernetic on the receiving end of that cannon should be dead! Vaporized! But she is still clinging to life somehow!" As the medic continued to rant about 'how impossible' the way the girl was alive, Soundwave looked around the medic to get a better view of his work, but was suddenly unable to when the sports car suddenly stopped. "Done." He vented heavily.

Knock Out looked down to his work, it wasn't a masterpiece of medical technology, but it would at least keep her alive, only just. He held a shallow smile, and dragged himself to his berth, venting heavily again and his smile faded from his faceplates. "I can...heal from serious injuries...in mere _days_." Knock Out looked up to the spy that was facing him.

"I'm not sure _how _long it'll be, Maddie may die, but she should be _dead_ after that experience." The medic hung his helm, and noticed the energon that tinted his once spotless servos, he didn't care though, he was doing his job, and that was what usually kept the mech going, even after Breakdown's death. He cycled an intake, and smirked. '_My job...'_ He thought. '_Is to save lives, but I couldn't save Breakdown's. Maybe this is a way to redeem myself.'_

Soundwave turned away from the red mech and looked to the tangled mess of wires and regulators, all of it hooked up to a modified injection cylinder, containing what was left of the girl. It wasn't pretty, but at least it was doing its job. But there was that one thought that kept nagging his processor; 'How was Starscream taking this?' Soundwave wasn't too familiar with the mechanics of Sparkbonds, but he knew that if one of the two that were bonded were to die, the other could die as well. But that was for bonded cybernetics, not a organic-cybernetic bond, and neither one was dead. Yet.

"Starscream." Knock Out raised his helm.

"Oh, so you know. What are you going to do? Report this to Megatron?" The spy only stared, staying mute. Knock Out lowered his helm again, a forlorn look on his face. "I'm actually not sure what will happen to him, she isn't dead. Spark fracture may not have happened, but I'm sure that they're sharing a lot of pain-" Suddenly, an alarm sounded.

* * *

"Uh-oh." Bulkhead expressed his problem after typing into the terminal, causing the alarm to go off. "Better get out of here." He said to himself as he began to run off to a different hallway, leaving the troopers to figure out what was happening.

This was annoying as pit! He was not meant for sneaking around, let alone in the Decepticon Warship! The large mech began to grumble to himself, if only he was 'Bee's size, then it wouldn't be so hard to be stealthy.

Unbeknownst to him, he had sent out a beacon.

* * *

"Tell us where Maddie is!" Megatron only smirked at the demand, and at his situation. Surrounded by four Starscreams. Clones. How desperate was the little traitor getting? He chuckled dryly.

"The human? I killed her, she was of no use to me after all. And after all the trouble she went through just to join..." He grinned sadistically at the pained and angry faces the seekers were giving him.

"Then you will perish by our hand!" At that instant, a large explosion shook the ship.

"What was that?" One of the clones asked, some of them shaken. At that moment, a large horde of Insecticons filled the front view of the command deck, it was the largest one any of the mechs -cloned or not- have seen in a _very_ long time. Megatron charged his cannon.

"_That_, is the sound of the tables turning, Starscream." He shot three of the clones, all kill shots, then he turned to the one behind him, as he was the last one to still be moving. He glared daggers at the last clone, and aimed his cannon. "Exterminating you was so gratifying the last three times." Megatron drew nearer to the last clone, and was about to destroy him when another explosion shook the warship, giving the clone his chance to escape.

The warlord ignored him as he turned to the console behind him, getting a good look at the army that knocked on the doors of the Nemesis. He knew _exactly_ who sent it. "Airachnid. A busy day for assassins."

Megatron entered the battlefield that took place on the outer deck of the warship ever so casually. With a few well-aimed shots of his cannon, he was able to take out a good portion of the Insecticon horde. As he continued to fire, some of the Insecticons landed behind him, he stopped and turned to them, more landing with the others. One of them began to lunge, but stopped suddenly.

Megatron kept his guard up as more and more of the swarm landed around him, he lowered his weapon, and looked around to see the insects bow before him.

"Forgive us, one true lord and master." They all spoke in unison, speaking their loyalty to the grey mech before them.

Megatron smirked, looking around his newly acquired army. "This day has certainly seen its share of thwarted intentions."

* * *

Bulkhead bashed open a door at the end of the vent tunnel. The wrecker entered a room and instantly recognized it as the main engine to the ship. He stared at it for a moment, silently working out his choices, he could stay on board, but he could eventually get caught. He vented, transforming his servo into his mace. "Well, one way or another, I'm getting off this boat!" He leaped from the platform, mace before him, and he crashed into the engine, causing a fairly large explosion.

He began to run for it from the room as he felt the negative G-force of the falling ship. As he ran, he came past a stumbling Starscream who fell over, but quickly regained his stance and rushed past the wrecker, giving him an indignant shout to move. The green mech watched the silver one transform and fly out of the ship, making the mech to cover his face in the flier's afterburn.

As Bulkhead removed his servo from his face, it falling into an absolute dumbfounded look. '_Didn't I just...?'_ But there was no time to think, let alone just stand there! The mech grabbed a steel beam and braced for impact, which came quickly, and hit the mech pretty hard as the ship cut through the ground it crashed into, stopping just at the edge of a cliff.

Bulkhead took this chance and drove off the lower wing of the ship and sped off like the unmaker himself was after him!

o0o

The mech sounded the horn in his alt mode when he finally came back to base that night, he skidded to a halt as he transformed into his robot mode. "Guys, you are not going to believe the day I just had!" He stopped himself and looked to the group of other Autobots, and he noticed the stasis pod that held the spider-bot. "Uh, you too, huh?"

* * *

Starscream hated it, the _pain_. He growled to himself, he was so _foolish_ to send the clones to what he didn't expect to be a death-mission. He curled his talons into a fist.

The sound of the door shifting open met his audios, with the heavy venting of the last clone entering. "Lord Starscream. Your loyal servant has returned."

"I see." He said flatly, back away from the clone.

"I, have, sadly come to report that our collective mission has failed." This interested the original Starscream. But kept silent as he continued to listen to the clone. "Your, _bondmate,_ is dead." Starscream's whole being stiffened. How was that possible?! He should have experienced Spark Fracture! He should have felt her pain. Pain. "And I'm afraid that you will be next."

Starscream was the first to fire, he hit the clone dead-center in his chassis, a shorchmark smoked where the hit occurred. That blasted pain! He pressed his pede onto the mech below himself. "Tell me, _who did it!_" Rage-filled agony tore at his spark.

"Me-Megatron! He told us himself. You will not believe the pain that tore at me, even though I am not bonded to her."

Starscream pressed the edges of his mouth into a tight line, forming a grimace. "I feel your pain, believe me, I really do." He aimed his last rocket at the clone, and fired.

He screamed out his pain at the death that happened to the clone, Starscream gritted his denta, moving himself to a wall, and pressed his shoulder-plating against it. He hugged himself. How was it possible for her to be _gone_? He should have known! Been there sooner! He sank down to the floor of the wrecked ship, still leaning his side to the wall. He tore down the mental wall that he had forgotten was even there, but what was behind it was nothing, just, _nothing._

"Maddie..." What came out was choked, and strained. He was never going to see her again. The thought tore at his spark painfully.

"No.. he had to be lying... There's no way she can be dead!" he raged, suddenly angry. "MEGATRON!" He roared, his voice reverberating through the metal walls of the Harbinger.

"He.. will.. _pay!_" he growled darkly, and he, in his anger, threw the clone's frame against the wall, creating a fairly large dent. He vented heavily for a few moments, keeping his post-throw stance. Then a whine escaped his vocoder, a pained look on his faceplates, and his intakes began to hitch. Starscream sank to his knees, face in his servos, and began to cry a tearless sob.

* * *

_Autobot Base_

"You did _WHAT!?_" Bulkhead flinched at the screeching Hannah in reply to his retelling of beating Starscream to death. Though she did know that he was just a clone, she still had the need to voice her anger to the truck.

"Woah, not so loud. But I don't think I really killed him. You see, as the ship was going down, I saw Screech run past and fly off." he defended himself.

"That's not the point, though. The fact is, that you let your anger get the best of you, and what if that had been the _real_ Starscream? Me and Maddie may not be friends, but I wouldn't be happy if you killed her sparkmate." Hannah sighed, cooling off.

"As much as I'm angry at her, I don't think I could bear to see her suffer something like that. I wouldn't wish it on my enemy." she murmured, even quieter. She looked up at the big green mech. "Speaking of Maddie, did you see her on the warship?" Bulkhead shook his helm.

"Hannah, an Autobot on a Decepticon ship won't see much. They were out to get me! I stuck out like a sore thumb." he answered. Hannah sighed sadly, slumping onto the human couch. "But-" Hannah looked to the truck, a thoughtful look on his face. "While I was crawling around in the vents, I was able to get a view of Mega-butt. I heard him complaining, 'First the human, now this.' Then he walked off somewhere else." He looked down to the girl. She mirrored the same serious look he held. "Now that I think about it.. I get the feeling that Megatron did something to her." He said darkly.

"Primus, I hope you're wrong..." Hannah whispered. Then she came back from her thoughts. "As much as I dislike the fact that you may or not have killed Starscream, taking down the Decepticon warship was a bold move. I think we can agree on that. What do you guys think?" Hannah looked to the Autobots and kids as she asked this.

"Now may be the best time to strike the Decepticons while they're at their weakest." Every pair of both optics and eyes looked to the Matrix-bearer. Ratchet was the first to protest.

"Are you serious?" He asked, exasperated. "Let's not forget that we remain vastly outnumbered, now more so than ever now that Megatron has enlisted the Insecticon Hive into his ranks!"

"Then maybe it's time for me to call in an air strike." Fowler stated, stepping forward on the loft. He was directly beside Hannah, and was caught off guard as he noticed something; she was taller, by at least three inches. Suddenly, her blue-tinged brown eyes were focused on him.

"I think we should consider more... _extreme _measures, Agent Fowler." she said, giving Optimus a severe look. He nodded his head, and turned to the corridor where they had the Iacon relics stored away. The others followed him without question. They were surprised, though, when he opened the door that led to...

"The spark extractor?" Ratchet inquired. He walked towards the dangerous relic. "Optimus, are you certain you want to travel down this path?" he asked.

"We may not have any other option, Ratchet. Like you said yourself, we're outnumbered a hundred to one against the Decepticons. This may be our best bet at ending the war." Hannah cut in.

"Talida is correct in her statement, old friend. While I am deeply reluctant to deploy a weapon of such caliber, especially one forged by Decepticon hands, this may be our only chance to end the war, once and for all." Optimus agreed, though he was frowning at the offending device.

_Hannah POV_  
I knew what was coming next. Right about now, Megatron was probably putting the Dark Energon in his 'Vessel'. But further than that, I knew that the Spark-Extractor wasn't going to be used. I didn't have the heart to tell that to Optimus, though, and I locked it away in the deepest corner of my mind before opening my connection to him.

The bond had been steadily developing for a long while now, and it had even began to affect my Holoform's physical appearance. Even my mom commented that I looked like I was sixteen, and my hair was going slowly red, my eyes blue. It took forever to convince her that I didn't dye it, and I wasn't wearing contacts.

As we walked back to the main room of the base, I allowed my mind to wander. Slowly, I drifted back to my memory of the night previous..

* * *

"_I love you..."_

_I waited with bated breath as I sat in Optimus' hand, the data-pad photo-album clutched to my chest. I wondered what he would say. But, he merely stood there, for almost two minutes. I began to worry, regretting saying it, when he spoke._

"_I... I love you, as well, Talida." _

_I giggled slightly at how awkward the words sounded, though I could feel his emotions through our incomplete bond, and I knew he felt the same. It was just so... cute, to see the leader of the Autobots at a loss for words, and nervous. I looked up at his cerulean blue optics._

"_Come here," I whispered, as though I had a secret to tell him, and I beckoned him with one hand. Curiously, he brought his hand closer to his face. If I wanted, I could reach out and touch his face. Instead, I leaned forward, kissing the spot on his face where his nose would have been, if he had one._

"_What was that?" he asked as I leaned back onto his hand. I giggled at his confused expression._

"_It's called a kiss. It's a way humans express affection for one another. In some cases." I explained. I frowned as I felt something, from the other end of the bond. I could feel emotions, but they felt... Suppressed. Subdued._

"_What is that?" Now it was my turn to be confused._

"_The Matrix of Leadership. It... limits the emotions I consciously feel." My frown deepened at that._

"_That doesn't seem fair." I mused. _

"_I believe, once our bond is completely formed, the limitations will become lenient." Optimus tried to reassure me._

"_How do you figure?" I asked, looking to his face again, instead of his chestplates._

"_Because I can _**feel **_it."_

* * *

I began to blush furiously at the memory as I was reminded that I was connected to Optimus, to which I began to blush more profusely, as I watched the Autobots and Fowler leave for battle.

* * *

Nothing.

That's what is there after death? Honestly, I had hoped not, but that's what was there, wherever I was, there was just a black nothing. Just me, my memories, and my own thoughts. I thought that there was someone else, but they were gone before I could do anything.

_Am I dead?_

I racked what I believed to be my brain, I was trying to find something, but I kept replaying that same memory of how I died. That large, grey creature killed me. What was his name? Megatron. What a prick.

_Pain._

A new wave of that ever-present pain washed over me at the black of nothing turned into a deep shade of purple, getting brighter and brighter, until it was a pale lavender color, and it still got brighter. It was blinding. Then it went black again.

_Regret._

It was a painful thing to think about, especially the kind I held. So much regret. I wish I could see them all again, see them all, and tell them all that I'm sorry.

_I don't want to be dead._

Sadness swept over me, I don't want to be dead! Being dead sucked. I was desperate to hear another's' voice, touch. I want to feel the world around me again! I want to live!

_Live..._

But it was hard to live. I never lived a good one either, nor was it all wonderful. But, there were the good parts to it all.

_Starscream, my love._

Warm feelings entered the blackness as memories of this silver creature filled the darkness, like pictures in a frame. I smiled at one of my favorite memories. Our gentle passion for each other, I just had to smile.

I continued to another memory, but this one, _this one_, was the _complete_ opposite.

I frowned deeply at the freeze-frame; a face, with only a single, red eye. Hate burned at the sight of that _face_.

_Shockwave._

I threw (what I believed to be) my fist at the face. But the moment I touched the thing, I froze, and I seemed to be sucked in.

I was gone.

_Alone, so alone._

I instantly retracted my arm from the picture before I could be sucked in completely, glaring at the image, I continued to move around the memories. But then I came across a funny-looking one, it was just as black as the rest of the place, but it was covered in that same strange lettering that I could not recognize. But somehow, I was able to read it.

_Shockwave's secret log._

This wasn't apart of my memory, was it?

* * *

_Hannah POV_  
I winced, as I felt pain through the bond. I instantly knew what happened. Trypticon immobilized the Autobots, and the pain I was feeling was Optimus' impact with the ground.

"_Team's down. Requesting Medi-Vac." _Fowler commed. Ratchet opened the groundbridge to do just that, with Riptide following him closely.

The shockwave of pain left me stunned, and honestly a little nauseous. I sat down on the floor in front of the human couch, putting my head on my knees as I waited for Ratchet and the others to return. Then, they did.

_Fuck_. That was all I could think when I saw Optimus and the others that went out to deliver the Spark Extractor to the Decepticons, return to base, all immobilized. The only person who came back moving was Fowler.

"What happened?" I demanded, even though I knew.

"Some sort of beam attached to the Nemesis." Fowler answered. I cursed under my breath.

"They're alive-" Ratchet reassured.

"-I already knew that, genius-" I interrupted.

"-But I've never seen this kind of stasis-lock before.-" Ratchet continued like I hadn't spoken.

"-Because Trypticon is an asswipe." I muttered under my breath. Fowler stepped forward on the loft.

"The 'Cons are crossing the Atlantic, making a beeline for North America." he stated. I vaguely considered saying "Fuck it" and telling them what was gonna happen. But, the humans already knew that I knew the future, and I didn't think now would be the opportune time for the Transformers to figure it out _**quite**_ yet. Then I remembered something, and decided to do more line-stealing.

"Wait, we can track them? Why aren't they cloaked, like usual?" I asked, hiding the fact that I already damn-well knew _why._

'_Because Megatron was an idiot and put dark energon in his ship. If it brings dead back to zombified-life, why wouldn't it bring another piece of broken equipment back to life, like that stupid diagnostic tool from the first episodes.' _I mentally ranted, though I made sure my end of the bond was dampened.

"None of this makes a lick of sense. They had us in their crosshairs, and they just took off." Fowler answered. I was breaking in my resolve about keeping quiet.

"They even bailed on that Spark-Extractor thingy." Miko added.

"If the ship's not cloaked, maybe the communications relays open, and-" I began more line-stealing, but was cut off by Ratchet.

"Ep ep ep! Are you suggesting that we just- _call_ Megatron, and ask him what's happening up there?" he demanded. I shrugged, as did the kids. Ratchet looked to Fowler, and he made the same motion. It was laughable, really. Ratchet sighed, and gave in. As he prepared to make the call, the kids ran up to the loft to stand next to me and Fowler. Ratchet inhaled, and exhaled, before initiating the call.

"Autobot Outpost to Decepticon Warship, Megatron, please respond." he waited a few seconds, before repeating this. "Megatron, do you read?" Tense moments ticked by as we all stared at the monitor. "Megatron."

There was a few seconds' pause, and I steeled myself to hear the voice of the Nemesis (or Trypticon.) There was the bleep, indicating the call had been accepted.

"_Megatron has been relieved of his command."_ a gruff voice growled. I narrowed my eyes.

"Who is this?" Ratchet asked, equally irate and suspicious.

"_Who is THIS?"_ the voice retorted. I rolled my eyes.

"Copying what other people say isn't very original." I said in a mock-scolding tone. Ratchet gave me a scathing look before replying.

"Have you taken control of the Decepticon vessel?" he demanded. I had to bite my tongue to keep from yelling out everything I knew.

"_I AM the vessel! Any Cybertronian who interferes with my mission will be-"_

"-Neutralized! We get it you stupid warship! Where's Megatron?" I interrupted, yelling. I'd had enough of this boring conversation already. The voice of the ship growled, before displaying pictures across our screen, of the immobilized Decepticon troops, in almost every corridor.

"What mission?" _**Clearly**_, Ratchet wanted to keep the conversation going.

"He wants the Iacon relics." I said before the ship could reply.

"For what purpose?" Ratchet was probably asking us both that. There was silence, before the call was abruptly ended.

"Talk about rude!" Miko exclaimed.

"Rude!?" Fowler demanded. "There's a giant spaceship flying around, collecting Decepticon weapons of Mass Destruction!" Jack stepped in before there could be any sort of petty argument, which I was glad for. I saw enough of those at school.

"A giant spaceship filled with neutralized Decepticons." he said.

"Your point?" Fowler asked, rather impatiently.

"This could be our only chance to slip aboard and download the Iacon database." Jack and I said in unison. "So Optimus can decode it." I added. Ratchet hummed thoughtfully.

"Ingenius. I will infiltrate the Decepticon Warship." he stated. I instantly shook my head.

"No. Didn't you hear him? 'Any Cybertronian who interferes with my mission will be neutralized'?"

"Right. Not ingenius. You saw what it did to the Decepticons." Jack agreed.

"Probably Megatron too." Raf added.

"AND Team Prime." Miko continued.

"But, that tub had me dead to rights, and I'm still breathing." Fowler seemed to be the only one disagreeing. I think.

"That's because the immobilizer beam is targeting Cybertronians. So, even _I'd _be able to stow away and download the Iacon Database. Plus, I also know my way around a little, from my brief experience in captivity." I stated.

"No way you're going in alone. Who knows what Optimus would do if you got hurt, or captured again." Jack said. "I'm going with you." he finished.

"You'll need tech support." Raf said, stepping forward. Miko followed suit.

"And backup." she added. Fowler sighed exasperatedly.

"I can't let you four go in there by yourselves either, so I'm coming too."

Now it was Ratchet's turn to sigh exasperatedly.

"Very well. But at the first sign of trouble, I'm bridging you all right back here. Understood?" I opened my mouth to protest, but he cut me off. "Regardless of your rank as Optimus' Consort, I still can pull rank as your medical officer, Talida." he said sternly, narrowing his optics at me. I glowered, but nodded my head.

"Oh, one last thing. Should I leave my mask on, or leave it here? It might be a hindrance later." I asked.

"Leave it here. Your physical capabilities are multiplied nearly tenfold in your natural form, including your speed, agility, and stamina, which will provide you with a speedy escape if need be." Ratchet answered. He pulled a cybertronian-sized flash drive from the main console of the computer. "Now, to download the database, you will need a compatible transfer drive." he added, handing me the drive after I set my mask on top of the TV. I took it in my hands, and it transformed down, much like they key to Vector Sigma did, until it could fit in one of my hands.

"Thanks, Ratch." I said.

"You'll also need a commlink, Talida, to keep in communication with the base." Ratchet then passed me what looked like the earpieces from Knight Rider 2008. Except, they called them earwigs. Ew.

* * *

"Talida to base, we're in." I commed as the groundbridge closed behind us.

"_Good. Their data core should be accessible from any console." _Ratchet replied. Suddenly, I staggered slightly.

"Woah..." I whispered. "Now I get it. The ship's alive because Megatron -Impatient bastard he is- put Dark Energon in the ship to power it up again, so he could control it directly. But, that blew up in his face by the looks of it." I muttered aloud. Then I got an idea. "We should split up. Jack, you take Miko, Raf, and Fowler to a command console, and I'll head to the room where the 'Cons keep their fuel and stuff. I can take the Dark Energon out, and power the ship down, once you guys give me the signal that the database is downloaded." I said, handing Jack the drive. He unsurely looked to Fowler, and I realized the commlink was still open.

"_Are you certain you can do it, Talida?"_ Ratchet asked. I sighed, smiling a little at the Medic's poorly-masked worry.

"Yeah. I can do it Ratch. I wouldn't be the bonded mate of a Prime if I couldn't take care of myself right." I said jokingly. "Ratchet, keep in communication with Fowler, and tell me when they finish downloading the files." I added.

"_Understood. Good luck, Talida." _Then the link was cut. I looked to the others, and Fowler.

"You have your phone, right?" I asked. He nodded, showing it to me. "Good. Now, I'm heading to the... fueling room, I guess you could call it. You three need to head that way," I pointed behind me. "Make a right, and you'll find Doc Knock knocked out at a console."

Then I turned, hopefully heading in the right direction. I stuck close to the walls, hoping that the ship wouldn't detect my presence. That hope was crushed when I heard the voice of the ship growl.

"You think you can hide, child?" it growled, and I saw the wall of immobilizer-beams form.

"Oh shit!" I exclaimed, taking off at a dead sprint, hoping to get around the corner before the beams could hit me, just in case. The beams missed by an inch, just as I rounded the corner, surprising myself with my own speed. Another immobilizing wall formed in front of me, and just as it would have gotten me, I dove, slipping between two beams. The ship voiced it's fury with an angry roar, and the wall dissipated, two more forming as I reached the end of the hall. I looked to the wall, and I saw a vent, running towards it. I pried the grate off, running inside. I halted though, as I saw the kids running up, and going to the right. I cautiously climbed out of the vent.

"Good, now I know which way to go." I muttered quietly, and I went in the same direction as them, my footfalls muted because I was, well, pretty much made of water.

'_But if that's the case, why did Trypticon see me?' _I thought to myself. '_Unless... It's not water... it's energon!_' I suddenly had the epiphany, that I was made of energon. And if I was made of energon...

"Then I have a _spark!_" I yelled to myself as I continued running down the hall. I quickly hid behind a steel beam as another immobilizer beam shot past. Then another idea hit me. Maybe I could find Maddie! Bring her back!

But how the hell was I to do that when a warship is brought to life, turns sentient, and goes nuts? Could I reason with it? That sounded crazy, but so was the ship. I had to try _something._

"Tell me!" I yelled, a camera-looking thing appeared and swiveled in front of me. "Is there another person with a spark here like me?" There was silence for a moment or two.

"Yes, and she is only being kept alive through the energon I am providing." the ship growled. I questioned my sanity, again, with the fact that I was talking with the lethal ship that could immobilize me like the rest. But then I realized that not only could I get Maddie back, but I could keep the spotlight off the kids if I kept it talking.

"Can you take me to her? Please?" There was no response, and I began feeling rather desperate. "Please! I won't interfere with your mission! She's the only other person I know that's from my home planet, and she's... she's my best friend. Please take me to her!" It was all I could do to keep from crying. A claw-like attachment descended from the ceiling, picking me up. I was then carried through strange tunnels of some sort, and dropped into a dark room I remembered to be the Med Bay. I looked up to see a diamond-shaped energon crystal, with a glowing ball or purplish light in the center. It was her spark. I noticed it was in a tube of some sort, like the containment units the Decepticons used in the...season two finale...

"H-how long will she last, if she's not hooked up to those machines?" I asked the ship, pushing the thought from my mind. It did not answer, but detached the containment unit from it's...connector..thingies. I guessed that meant she would last long enough for me to hightail it outta there.

"Leave. Now." the ship ordered. I glowered at a camera, but commed Ratchet.

"Doc, I've got Maddie. Can you get me a bridge? She's... in critical condition at the moment." I said, as calmly as I could. A groundbridge opened in front of me, and I didn't hesitate in running through. The moment I made it through, I handed the container to Ratchet, and ran back through the bridge and back into the ship.

"I ordered you to leave!" the ship roared. I rolled my pupil-less optics.

"Yes, but I didn't listen." I said, and I ran out the door. Suddenly, the ship lurched.

"Critical Power Drain. I am- in- command! Prepare to be- Neutralized!"

I saw the lights and colours returning to normal, and I knew that if I didn't book it to the console, like NOW, I was gonna be in some seriously deep shit. So, with that thought in mind, I broke out into a dead sprint once again. I almost collapsed in relief at the sight of the Console where Knock Out was still immobilized. Though... the data was not completely downloaded. I saw the Decepticons re-awakening, and panic set in.

With a burst of adrenaline, or the Cybertronian equivalent, I jumped straight onto the console.

"Ratch, the download isn't complete, but the 'Cons are waking up!" I commed, as I saw more and more Vehicons and Insecticons coming out of their immobilized stupor.

"_Get the drive, now! I'm opening a groundbridge for you, Fowler, and the children right now, at your current coordinates."_ The moment Ratchet finished speaking, a groundbridge opened up, and I yanked the drive from the port just as Knock Out came to.

"Scrap!" I cursed, leaping off the console. The kids reached me just then, and I grabbed Fowler, pulling him to his feet, and going as fast as I could through the bridge, which closed instantly behind us.

I sighed in relief when my bond with Optimus re-opened, and I embraced it instantly.

_:::Thank the allspark you are safe, dear one.::: _Optimus spoke to me through our bond. I smiled at him, running straight towards him after Ratch took Fowler off my hands.

_:::I could say the same for you, Optimus. You seriously scared me, you know.:::_ I reprimanded as he picked me up in one hand, bringing me level to his face, which I attempted to hug. With my life not imminently threatened, my mind forced itself back to my memory from earlier. My mouthless smile -as I was still in my natural form- faded, as I remembered. Gently, I dampened the bond so I could hide my thoughts.

'_Optimus is going to die.'_ The thought repeated itself a hundred times, and it was torturous, because I couldn't do anything to stop it. _Don't worry, Hannah, that won't happen for awhile. You don't need to be thinking like that.'_ I scolded myself, locking the thoughts away in the back of my brain once again. Then I allowed myself to drift to a different topic; Maddie.

As I looked to the container that held her spark-casing and spark, I saw Ratchet already had her attached to some sort of Life-Support system. Slowly, I slipped down from Optimus's hand, and onto the loft. First, I recovered my mask, then walked over to what was left of my best friend, whom I considered a sister.

"Ratch... have you found any way to communicate with her?" I asked, my voice cracking. Ratchet shook his head, and I remembered something. The drive. It was still in my hand. I held it out to the medic, and he plugged it into the computer again. I slumped onto the couch, feeling a little bit beat.

"The download of the Iacon Database may have been incomplete, but we now possess four sets of coordinates decoded by the ship." Ratchet stated after looking at the files.

"Then we must act quickly. For Megatron possesses those same four sets, and he will not hesitate to obtain the potential doomsday devices which lie at the site of each." Optimus said gravely.

o0o

"Talida, something has been bothering you." I heard Optimus say. It wasn't a question. It was several hours later, and the other kids were being dropped off at their respective homes, except for Miko, who was sitting in front of the couch. Arcee had already called Wheeljack and on was his way over. With a sigh, I looked away from them and nodded my head, ignoring them for the moment. I couldn't tell him what my biggest worry was, so I told him the lesser one.

"I'm not sure if I want to stay with my human family anymore." I said quietly.

"Why is that?" Optimus asked, baffled. I sighed again.

"My mom and I... we had a fight, when I came home the other day. We're not exactly on speaking terms. She still thinks I'm lying about not dying my hair and stuff." I mumbled. "She just- Overreacts all the time, over the smallest things! I can't deal with it anymore! And my brother, ugh. He's just as bad, and worse. He does the things he knows irritates me, because he can, and he's completely unsympathetic to anything involving my interests! I was watching Tra- this TV show, a little while back, and y- my favourite character died because of Meg- the bad guy, and it was just so sad, and he said it right to my face; 'I don't care about your stupid little show'." I tried very hard to not just cry right there. The mantra returned; '_Optimus is going to die_'. I took in a shaky breath.

Optimus must've sensed my distress, because he had put me down on the loft, and left me to myself. Then, at that moment, an engine echoed in the silo. It was Wheeljack.

I ignored him and snuck away to the elevator, which I entered. The doors automatically closed behind me and I felt the metal room rise up to the top of the base. When they opened, I could see Miko sneaking into Wheeljack's ship.

"Miko! What are you doing?"

The Asian girl jumped at the sound of my voice. She turned to me, and glared. "Oh, are you here to stop me, Miss-I-Know-All-About-The-Future?" That hurt. I walked over to her.

"No. I... actually want to help you." The dumbfounded look she held at my comment was comical. "Also, Riptide is missing, and we need to get him back." Miko gave me a suspicious glance. "Riptide wasn't in the show, so I don't know what the hell happened to him." I said, glaring slightly as I followed Miko into Wheeljack's ship.

Suddenly, I heard Wheeljack driving up to the ship. My eyes widened and I began to shove Miko behind some desk-thing. She turned around as we got behind something else. We both looked to see the white wrecker walk in, with the hatch to the Jackhammer closing.

"Fuck." We both whispered as the door sealed us in.

* * *

**Yeeeeaaaah, I wasn't kidding that his was the longest chapter that either one of us has ever written. Sorry that we didn't write that 'four episodes are happening all at once' thing. That would been too hard to write, but I promise that there will be an 'overview' of what happened in that time. Review please, and let us know what you think of the story so far! Also, anyone who can guess what the 'unknown' POV is gets a cookie :) Sorry for the really long A/N. Bye for now!  
*rolls away***


	20. Sorry

**A/N: Goooooood morning everyone! So, today's doomsday, thought I'd get this up fer y'all.  
By the way, for those of you out there who figured out that the Unknown POV is Maddie, you get a cookie! Also, since winter break is here and all, Rose and I are thinking that we'll get more chappies up more often :D**

**Enjoy! :D**

* * *

I'm Sorry

The pain had instantly stopped. Why, I'm afraid I may never know. But I could feel my body again, which was good. That may mean that I'm not dead, but that could also mean that I might be a zombie. Heck, for all I care, I might as well be Unicron.

That didn't matter to me. What did though, was the fact that I could be alive.

Which means I could say sorry.

I reluctantly and slowly opened my eyes. It's hard to describe the euphoria of feelings I had seeing the light again. But, I both did and did not recognise the place I was in. But through the glass of whatever containment I was being held in showed me nothing of the room I was currently in. However, I did see green monitors of some kind, flashing and blinking blue lights, completely different to the navy blue-and-fuchsia that I remembered in the last place. Where I died. Rage burned at me, devoured me, as I remembered my experience in the darkness.

I could hear muted footsteps. I tried to look out of my prison, but was unable to, as they were blurred by the liquid I was surrounded in. I uncurled myself from my fetal position and pressed my hands to the glass. I must've pressed too hard, because I could hear the sharp sound of it cracking.

I could escape. I pressed my hands harder, and the glass shattered, the liquid splashing around of what had been my containment.

I was suddenly granted freedom. I looked about the place, to see the creature that had walked in the room stare at me. He was orange and white. He looked terrified of me.

"M-Maddie?!" So _that's_ what my name was? Lovely. What was his though? "You shouldn't have gotten out!"

I felt my heart stop. So I was their prisoner anyways? I just continued to stare at the metal man. Then I ran out of the room, ignoring whatever he had to say to me. I skidded to a stop at the sight of a much larger blue and red man. He was probable here to stop me from escaping. I ran in the opposite direction of him, entering a large room. I could see a hall that went to nowhere, a large lofty-looking thing, and a large green man who seemed to be asleep. Where the hell was I?

"Maddie, please stop." a deep voice commanded gently. Somehow, I knew this voice. Where did I know it from? I turned around to see the blue and red man standing in the doorway I'd just ran through. I glared at him though. I didn't trust him, he wasn't like the other one. This one was calm, composed. I hated it. I was their prisoner! They should treat me like one! It's like as if I'm their friend...

I betrayed them! Can't they all be mad at me?! I growled, and did something that I would regret.

I attacked the man before me. I didn't really do much, I landed on the large man's shoulder, and the most I really did was scratch him a little. He seemed surprised, as he reached one hand up and picked me up. I gave him a nasty look as I wrenched myself free, landing harshly on the ground. There was a sound akin to crunching glass, and I winced as pain shot up my leg. I looked down, and my eyes widened; my leg had fucking broken off! I hissed in pain as I tried to run with only half a leg. Upon hearing the man following me, I hissed at him and blindly shot a crystal to him, and I continued to hobble off, my leg already regenerating itself.

"_D're ga'o!" _ I hissed at the man, my leg finally regenerated. I picked up the pace, taking random turns, hoping to lose my pursuer. Eventually, I came across the perfect hiding spot. The man was very far behind me, so I had the time to quietly pry off a loose section of the wall and clamber in, pulling the panel back into place behind me.

"Maddie, please come out. I will not hurt you." the man called, his voice considerably closer than he'd sounded a moment ago. I stayed silent as his thundering footsteps sounded past where I hid myself. Painfully long moments passed as I waited for the sound to be long gone. I stayed longer, making sure that he was far away. I pushed the panel open some, looking all over the place for any movement. Carefully, I got out and put back the panel. I relaxed only slightly once the panel was in place. I darted around the halls, sticking to the walls as I explored my way through this maze.

At one point, I entered a long hall that was mirrored with large, grey, garage doors. I walked down the place, only pausing long enough to look through the windows that revealed what was behind each door. Then I stopped. This one was strange. I only looked at what was inside. Inside there was some sort of pod. In it, there was something, something, that I knew. And I hated that thing that was in there. It was so tempting to get in that room and to just fuck up that bitch that was frozen, killing her would have been so _gratifying_, but I couldn't. I glared at her, and snarled. "_T'ou ne'ow gr'a. De n' re'a s'o._"

But I just glared at her as I continued walking down the hall, and lo and behold! I was back where I had started! I went in one, big, fucking loop. Yay. But how in hell's sake am I going to get out of this place!? My eyes wandered to an elevator door that I hadn't noticed before. That could be my ticket out of here! Footsteps sounded into the room, and I looked to see that orange-and-white man I had seen earlier. "_Met'e, n'e ne'ra se._" I grumbled irritable.

"Optimus, I've found Maddie. She's in the main room." You idiotic man! Shouldn't you have guns a blazin' on my ass?! Unless...

"_Man'ae! Man'ae!_" I shouted. If I had a mouth, I must be grinning madly. I lunged at the man, and made an impact that left a formidable dent in his chest, and the continuing inertia made the giant fall on his back. I sniggered. I thought he'd put up a better fight than that. I walked on his chest and looked into his eyes, his face was laughable. The expression was total surprise that 'such a tiny creature' was able to 'take out a giant'.

"Maddie! Why are you doing this?!" I sneered.

"_De m'e r'ae en'ae, ro'ta de?_" I jumped off him, ignoring any remarks to what I had said to him. "_De'm ra'e._"

I left him and got on the elevator, the doors slowly slid shut. I felt the room move up, and the seconds painfully ticked by as I waited for freedom. Suddenly, the little room went dark, and the elevator stopped. Shit! They cut off the power!

I huffed angrily, and walked to one of the walls of this trap I'd gotten myself into. The room slowly began to get light as I continued to sulk at my ridiculous situation. How fucking _stupid_ of me to think that I'd get out of here so easily! Dammit! I threw my fist in anger at the wall beside, leaving a large dent in its place. My face began to get hot. I had to get out of here and tell Her sorry. Sorry that I left. Sorry that I betrayed our friendship.

Sorry that I died.

I sniffed, tears streaming down my eyes. Look at me. I'm just a sad little girl who just died and brought herself back to life. I don't deserve to live like this. But why are they treating me this way!? I'm not their friend! I'm their _enemy_! I should have my ass on fire with their guns!

The room jolted to life, and the lights flickered on. I could hear muted talking, which turned into yelling. For a moment, I could hear everything.

"You shouldn't have snuck onto Wheeljack's ship in the first place! Do you know what kind of panic happened here while you three were gone?!"

"I'm sorry Ratchet! It's not our fault-"

"You were at fault the moment that hatch closed!"

Silence.

"How is he?"

More silence.

"Bulkhead, will survive." The other voice, Ratchet, was wavering. "But he may never be fully functional." Footsteps. "Miko, I do not think it's wise-"

"Doc." I remember that voice! It's her! "Where, is Maddie?"

Again, silence.

"She has already regenerated. But, she caused some mayhem-"

"What?! Are you saying that she's alive and moving and YOU HAVEN'T CALLED ME?!"

"Hannah. Maddie hurt both me and Optimus and she tried to escape through the elevator. We had to cut off power so she couldn't leave." Hurried footsteps sounded in my direction and were coming closer.

"Ratchet! Open the door to this thing!" I heard her yell. I looked above and below me. There had to be some sort of fucking escape hatch! Why couldn't I find it?! All elevators were supposed to have escape hatches!

"_T'al'e?"_ I called softly. I heard a quiet gasp.

"_M'ahae, se'n t'u de?"_ I heard her call back. I felt the elevator moving. Moving down. The doors opened, then, and I saw her. Talida. My best friend. Without a second thought I threw myself on her, hugging her tightly. She hugged me back, equally as tight, and I felt her shuddering. Looking down at her face, I saw she was crying.

"_De'm r'oah." _I whispered. She looked up at me. "_E se'n m'ae n'e?"_ I asked. She nodded, and hugged me again. "_De'm r'oah, o r'oah._" She looked up, a confused look on her face.

"Why?" She asked in what I recognized to be English.

"Every... thing." I said for the first time in that same language.

* * *

**So, Maddie's alive and sorta well. She can't talk in english. And Hannah got in trouble. Reviews make us happy :)  
**

**Translations :)**

**D're ga'o! = Leave me alone!**

**T'ou ne'ow gr'a. De n' re'a s'o = You f-cking b-tch. I hope you rot in hell**

**Met'e, n'e ne'ra se = Oh, for f-ck's sake**

**Man'ae! Man'ae! = Unarmed! Unarmed!**

**De m'e r'ae, ro'ta de? = I am your enemy, aren't I?**

**De'm ra'e = I'm leaving**

**M: T'al'e? = Talida?**  
**H: M'ahae, se'n t'u de? = Maddie, can you hear me?**

**De'm r'oah. E se'n m'ae n'e? = I'm sorry. Do you forgive me?**

**De'm r'oah, o r'oah. = I'm sorry, so sorry.**


	21. Explain!

**A/N: So you guys are getting all these frequent chapters since it's Christmas/Winter Break. Rose and I decided to get up another chapter up today, but there'll be no publishing fer the next two days since it'll be Christmas eve along with day. So... uh**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Explain!

Jack, Raf, and Miko, who'd been kicked out of base so Ratchet could work, were sitting at Jack's house. Each of them were eerily quiet. Jack was the one to break the silence.

"It still blows my mind. How can Maddie be alive, after what Megatron did? This war just got to a whole new level." Raf only stared at the mature one. Miko kept her head on her knees. "I mean, come on! What was it that Ratchet called Hannah? And why is she being called 'Talida'?"

"And that weird language they were talking in?" Miko added flatly.

"They did say that they were aliens. It would make some sense." Raf reasoned. Currently, Hannah was at the base with Maddie, Ratchet, and Optimus. The other bots were off on patrol-duty, and there was still no sign of Riptide. Out of nowhere, Miko's phone buzzed. Pulling it out, she checked her notification, read something on the screen, and burst out giggling.

"What is it?" Raf and Jack asked. Still giggling, Miko held out her phone so the two boys could see.

' G, gummy bears are eating me. One is red, one is blue, one is trying to eat my shoe. G, gummy bears are eating me. Now, I'm off to go and have a nice conversation with my car. Goodnight!'

"You have her on your Facebook?" Jack inquired. Miko nodded. Raf tried to hide his amused smile at the status update.

"You'd think we'd be used to her.. being crazy." he said, laughing a little bit. There was silent agreement from the other kids. There was the sound of a large truck pulling in outside, and Jack looked outside to see Optimus letting Hannah out of the passenger-seat. Jack waved from the window, and Hannah waved back, before turning and saying something to Optimus. He flashed his lights in acknowledgement, before pulling out, probably returning to base. Jack met Hannah at the door, and they greeted each other, before they went to the living room.

"Uh... Hi." Hannah greeted awkwardly. There was a heavy silence for a little while, as none of them could think of anything to say. "I, uh, suppose you have some questions?" They nodded their heads. She sighed. "Well, you deserve answers." she stated. "Ask away."

"What was it Ratchet called you, before we went onto the Nemesis? A.. consort?" Raf was the first to ask. She nodded. "Well... what does that mean?" he continued. Hannah bit her lips, thinking for a moment. She knew these kids wouldn't judge or anything, but she wasn't quite sure how they would react.

"He called me Optimus' consort because.. in a sense, I'm second-in-command of the Autobots. Because... Optimus and I are a bonded pair." she finally said. "If he were to d-" she choked on her words for a second. "-Die.. I would be.. in command of the Autobots.." her voice was barely more than a whisper.

"Woah, cool! So.. you and Optimus are like Maddie and Starscream? You're a couple?" Miko exclaimed excitedly. Hannah nodded her head.

"Okay, next question," Jack cut off Miko's girlish squeal. "Why are the bots calling you Talida?" he asked. Hannah smiled softly.

"Well, that's my name. The name my Nanourtian parents gave me, when I was a baby. That was when I met Optimus for the first time, too. But I didn't remember any of it, didn't know he and the others existed, until that show I told you guys about came around." she explained. "Anything else?"

"Yeah. Why do you look different?"

"Because of the bond. It's not developing the same way Maddie and Starscream's did. The process usually takes time, like it is for Optimus and I. My appearance is changing because the bond is developing. It's not only speeding my physical aging process, but my holoform is altering itself, to make me look more similar to my 'Mate', as the transformers call them." she explained. Miko sniggered as she got another idea.

"Is it possible for transformers to get pregnant?" she asked. Knowing the other girl's train of thought, Hannah flushed beet-red.

"Not exactly." she choked out. "When two Transformers merge their sparks, a small fragment of both of them breaks off. Those two spark-fragments combine, and eventually grow into another full spark, so that the new parents can put the newspark into it's first frame. Now, I'm NOT talking about that anymore! It's so... awkward explaining the Cybertronian version of...that." she shuddered.

"Prude." Miko teased. Jack was, once again, the one to get things under control again.

"Hey, how's Maddie?" he asked, changing the subject. The three kids silenced, looking to Hannah. She shrugged.

"She's still trying to re-learn to speak English at the moment. I think Fowler's trying - and failing - to help her with that. Other than that, she's alright." she said. The kids let out weak laughs at the mental images that statement provided. The four heard the sound of the garage door opening, and Jack instantly knew what was going on; his mom was home.

Jack jumped up off the couch and walked off to greet his mom. The three kids that remained in the room were silent for a moment. "So, has Maddie said anything about Screech?"

Hannah looked to Miko, who had stood up. Hannah looked down at her feet. "No, not really. All she's said so far was that she couldn't feel him any more. Like their bond is broken, or the connection can't be reached to each other." Silence.

"Honey, please put those on the table please."

"'Kay mom."

Hannah looked to see June Darby. The nurse was being followed by Jack, who was carrying some bags of food and whatnot. June looked to the kids in the room. She stopped.

"Jack, I didn't know we had guests."

"Miko and Raf have been here for a while already. You've already met Hannah, too. She just got here a few minutes ago." Jack said.

"That's okay, right? I mean, I can call Optimus and have him pick me up, if you had any plans, or anything." Hannah instantly said.

"No, that's okay. I just didn't expect anybody here tonight." June dissuaded her as she and Jack walked to the kitchen. "So what have you all been up to tonight?" she asked as she began putting away the groceries.

"These guys are interrogating me, and Miko tricked me into almost explaining how Cybertronian babies are made." Hannah instantly said. She was now sitting upside-down on the recliner chair, and the other kids snickered. June, who'd decided to take a sip of water just after asking her question, choked a little bit. She managed to swallow before beginning to laugh.

"That sounds.. interesting.." she commented, her laugh in her voice.

"Not as interesting as some other stuff she told us." Miko giggled. She was grinning as she recalled Hannah's exact words, but she wondered if she should say it aloud. Yes, Miko actually thought before she spoke. For once. She gave Hannah a questioning look. She shrugged, nodding her head.

"Hannah's second-in-command of the Autobots."

There was silence for a moment.

"...What?" June asked, peeking her head out from the kitchen.

"If Optimus dies, Hannah's in command of all the Autobots." Miko elaborated. Hannah nodded her head at June's incredulous look, though she seemed lost in her thoughts. At least, from the kids' standpoint. She snapped out of it, though.

"As cool as that sounds, I hope it never happens. I don't know what I'd do if Optimus died." Hannah stated, a sad tone in her voice. 'I don't know what I will do.' she thought. She felt Optimus sending her comfort through the bond, and she smiled. The kids noticed this.

"Are you talking with Optimus right now? What's he saying?" Miko blurted out. Hannah snapped her head up.

"What? Oh, nothing, actually. Wordless communication works well with us, too. Oh, I can't believe I almost forgot to tell you guys something!" she suddenly exclaimed.

"What is it?" Raf asked, seeming very excited.

"Well. This first bit isn't all that exciting. I've kind of been having issues, at my mom's house, and I really don't want to move in with my dad. I mean, we were kind of fighting because my mom didn't believe that my.. physical changes, were an accident. And.. I didn't tell Optimus this, but I.. kinda got kicked out." she trailed off, her voice turning into a mumble. "And, uh, Optimus is letting me move into the base." she finished, a little more cheerful.

"Way cool! Except for the first part, y'know. That must have sucked." Miko exclaimed, sounding bummed at the last bit. Hannah smiled a half-smile.

"I'm okay with it. I just want to get something from my dad's house, before I move in completely. Plus, I wanna see my baby brother again." she said. "And then.. I gotta talk to Maddie's mom, too..." she murmured. There was relative silence as June finished putting the groceries away, and she and Jack re-entered the living room.

"You're welcome to stay here with us, too, Hannah." June offered. Hannah smiled, but shook her head.

"Thanks for the offer, Mrs. Darby, but I have to say no. The bots are already trying to set up one of the smaller rooms for me. I don't want to waste their hard work." she told a half-truth.

"Naw, you just wanna spend more time with Optimus." Miko teased the girl. She flushed red again.

"That's not the only reason, y'know." she grumbled, still blushing. When she left base, she saw Fowler going off about 'how irritating' it was to teach the girl. There was surely going to be another argument between the two. _'Damn language barrier.'_ She mused to herself. Then she remembered something.

"I actually should be going back, pretty soon. There's things to be done." she said, flipping over and standing up. She said her goodbyes, walked to the front of the door, and left. There, she was met with Bumblebee.

"Hey, 'Bee." She greeted as she got into his alt form. The muscle car chirped back. Hannah giggled a little. "I still can't understand you, silly." Bumblebee warbled a laugh-like sound.

* * *

_Autobot Base_

"I can't understand a word of what you're saying!"

"_E'll de e'an n'ah__** m'e!**_"

This was starting to become a normal thing in the base. Unfortunately, Ratchet was in the vicinity. _'If these two don't shut up..'_ He thought threateningly. Then a crash sounded, followed by both English and alien swearing. Ratchet snapped.

"IF YOU TWO WON'T BE QUIET RIGHT NOW I'LL SEND YOU_ BOTH_ TO THE MIDDLE OF THE ANTARCTIC FOR_ TWO HOURS!_" Silence. Ratchet smirked. "That's_ much_ better. Now, I have to get back to work on Bulkhead." With that, the medic took some supplies and walked off.

Fowler and Maddie only glared at each other. Fowler sighed heavily and placed a hand on his head, a sign of defeat. Maddie put her head in her hands, also a sign of defeat. "_R'oah_."

"Yeah, sorry. For yelling at you. The guys at the office are always on my tail these days. Especially since Bryce found out that the two of you weren't human. I guess I was really mad." Fowler explained. Maddie looked up, the agent looked downstruck.

"I... tr-y.. at... l-east." She told him in English. Fowler sighed, and got up.

"I gotta get going. See you in a few days?" Maddie nodded, and watched the man leave through the elevator. Maddie turned her head to the sound of a car, and saw that it was Bumblebee. He stopped, let out Hannah, and transformed into his robot mode.

Maddie jumped down from the loft, and ran after the girl. Hannah was taken by total surprise when the other girl glomped her. "_T'al'e! De m'nra m'e!_" Maddie exclaimed happily, smothering Hannah in her arms. Hannah laughed.

"Maddie, you can let go of me now." Maddie did, and looked to her dear friend. She smiled shyly, and giggled. But she frowned a little.

"_De mu'ro t'u Fow'y ne'r.._" She said sadly. Hannah looked to the half-human. "_Ei c'a de m're d'an s'o?_" she asked, seemingly pouting.

"_M'e d'ro a na's._" Hannah sighed. She'd repeated this to the Pertromannian girl too many times to count. Maddie pouted.

"_De mu'ro t'u Fow'y ne'r.._" she repeated. Hannah laughed.

"Fowly? Silly Maddie, it's Fow_ler_." she corrected. Maddie rolled her eyes.

"_N'ora'te._" she muttered.

"Don't get snippy with me! Fowler's actually pretty okay, once you get used to him." Hannah scolded. Maddie walked off to the direction her room was at in the base, a sad look on her face. Hannah followed.

"Where are you going?" Hannah asked. Maddie didn't answer her. She frowned. "Don't act like a sparkling! Just tell me what's wrong, please!"  
Suddenly the Petromann whirled, glaring at her friend. She began speaking, but it was so fast, and angry, that Hannah didn't catch any of it.

"What?"

Maddie made an exclamation, as fast and angry as before, as if that one word proved her unheard point. Then she sneered something Hannah instinctively knew wasn't very nice, before storming off. Hannah felt betrayed in a way with her friend's sudden change in behaviour. This was not the Maddie she remembered, it was like as if someone did something to change her personality. Hannah pressed her lips together tightly. _'Shockwave...'_

Maddie slammed the door. Why was it that everyone here was treating her like some experiment?! In her anger, Maddie kicked the door, leaving a sizable dent in the metal. The anger evaporated into intense loneliness, and she slowly slid to the ground. All she really wanted, was to find her lover. But she couldn't feel him through the bond, and she didn't know where he was.

"_S'tura S'can.._" she whimpered, pulling her knees to her chest. She just felt so,_ hollow,_ without him. She needed to see him again. She had to. But there was something else that was making her not want to. It was like someone else was controlling her thoughts somehow...

"_M'ahae?_" It was Hannah. Maddie just stayed silent. But the door already opened, revealing the girl. Hannah looked down at the other girl, feeling sorry. She sat down next to the half-human and hugged her legs. A thick, tense silence hung between the two.

"I... s-sor-r-ry." Hannah turned her head. It was the first time in awhile that she tried to speak in English. "I...was-s-s... mmad." Hannah noticed that she was crying. Hugging her friend tighter, she removed her mask, sliding it away from them. "I...nneed...Starsc...Starsc..."

"Starscream?" Hannah whispered knowingly. Maddie nodded her head and sniffed. She hugged the girl back.

"Miss-s... him-m. Ha-hollow. Em-ty. N-need him.. so.. bad." Hannah looked Maddie, who's energon-blue face was turning pink. She brushed away some of her tears.

"You'll see him. I'll help. It'll be difficult, though."

"Wh..why?"

"Because the Autobots and Starscream aren't on what one would call 'Speaking terms'. I never said we couldn't do it, though. The co-ordinates to the Harbinger are still in the groundbridge operating...thing." she assured, standing up. Maddie frowned as she looked her friend over.

"Wh-when..you g-get tal-ler?" she asked, amazed. As Hannah put her mask back on, she rolled her eyes.

"Recently. It's because of mine and Optimus' bond." she explained, leading her friend from the room and down the hallway. Maddie giggled.

"Opmus." she giggled. Hannah smirked and shook her head.

"I'm not sure if your talking thing is adorable or a problem. Seriously, you remind me of my baby brother!" she said with a laugh. Maddie pouted.

"Not fault!" she whined.

"Hey, you're already getting better with your enunciation!" Hannah praised with a grin. "C'mon, we're almost there."

They entered the main room. Optimus was at the Ground Bridge controls, set to the Harbinger's location. Hannah felt Maddie's shocked stare, and grinned.

"Thanks, Optimus." she said to him. "I won't be long, but Maddie... She might end up staying a little longer than me." she added as he fired up the bridge. Optimus gave a reluctant nod, before the two darted into the swirling portal. Maddie stared in awe.

"Pretty. Go now?" Hannah nodded, took her hand, and led her through the other end of the portal like she was her little sister.

* * *

_Harbinger_

Starscream paced about, his spark was restless. It was like he was expecting someone. He stopped, and growled. "I finally snapped! With Maddie gone, my expirence on the end of the world, and the last escapade with that mine.. RAHHH! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" He gripped his helm, his clawed digits creating small scratches. The seeker felt his optics burn. Suddenly, small, tiny footsteps sounded in the too-empty ship, accompanied by voices.

"You is mean, Tallie."

"No, Maddie, I'm not mean. I'm just saying the facts as they are. Starscream has funny feet." a second familiar voice stated. Starscream raised an optic ridge.

"You still mean." the first voice said. It was.. it was_ Maddie_!

"And you weren't always this open about your opinions. By the way, I'm not sure if I ever said this, but I'm sorry for punching you, back at the school." the voice Starscream identified as Hannah spoke again. Hesitantly, he poked his head out of the door, looking down both hallways. His optics widened when he saw two familiar figures, walking in his direction. Starscream hid himself in the room, spark aching. He smiled, and laughed quietly. For the first time, in so long, he was laughing.

"Here. It's all you." Maddie looked at the large door. She held her hand to her chest, nervous. Hannah let go of her hand, giving her a gentle push closer to the door. Maddie slowly stepped through the large frame.

She looked around the cavernous room, and there, directly across, was Starscream. Her spark beat faster every step closer she got to him. Memories flooded her, it was almost the same way when she had first met him. She looked up at the silver mech, his face peaceful and smiling. She climbed up onto his chest, got close to his face, and touched it. Her hand was so small next to his face. Maddie turned her head and looked back to the she walked through, only to see that Hannah wasn't there.

"Hello." She gasped, and spun around to see his optics open, a warm crimson color. "Good to see you again, Maddie." The aforementioned girl smiled, and sank to her knees. She began to cry.

"I missed youuu..." she wailed. "It-it was s-so dark. N-No light. No you. A-All alone. H-Horrible. C-Came back. Now c-can no speak right." By now, she had already laid down on his chest, right over his spark, and was crying quietly. Starscream placed a servo over her.

"It's okay... You're here now. And we're back together." Gently, he began to stroke the girl with one of his clawed digits. Maddie only sniffed. She didn't feel right. Something was blocking them. She found the wall that she had forgotten about, and pulled it down.

So many emotions flooded her being. Starscream must've noticed, because it lessened, and all she felt was his love for her.

::_I need to tell you something important_:: She thought to him. Curiosity entered, Maddie breathed. Was he ready to know what she knew? No, it was too terrible. No-one, should ever experience what she had. She rubbed her face into his chest. ::_Nevermind_:: She looked up, and saw a confused look on his face. "Save mo-ment, with you, for-ever." Her voice cracked slightly at the excursion to speak, and new tears streamed down her face, but she tried to rub them away.

"It's alright." Starscream soothed, Maddie looked up to the seeker. "It's fine." He reassured. She only sniffed in response, and began to cry louder.

"I really sorryyyyy... Staaarscream."

* * *

_Autobot Base_

"You _left her there?!_" Ratchet yelled.

"It's alright Doc, Maddie's safe." Hannah tried to reassure the medic, but failed to do so when he glared at her.

"I have enough to stress with making sure Bulkhead properly recovers, I shouldn't have to worry about a fifteen year old Petromann with a speaking capabilities of a five-year-old as well!" He half-ranted, taking more supplies. Hannah scowled, sticking her tongue out at his back. She felt Optimus' amused scolding through the bond, and rolled her eyes.

"We both know Starscream would never intentionally hurt Maddie. He loves her." she defended herself. Ratchet sighed.

"I suppose that's true." he grudgingly agreed. "But if there is any harm done, I will make sure that traitor will suffer. I don't want to see her die again." the mech stated warningly. She nodded her head.

"For sure. I'd probably help, if that was the case." she said, walking out of the room.

:::_Hannah, something troubles you_::: She stopped at 'hearing' Optimus' voice in her head. She sent reassurance, telling him that she was fine. But she wasn't. She knew that Optimus was going to die. And she couldn't do anything about it.

She stopped, and sighed. There was also Shockwave to deal with...

"I was told by Arcee and Cliffjumper that their mode of transport experienced a malfunction." Hannah whirled around to see her bonded. How in the world did her pull a ninja move on her? Optimus' amusement to Hannah's surprised feelings went through the bond. "Shockwave shouldn't have been able to follow them through." Hannah frowned.

"I know, but..." She trailed off. She crossed her arms, a serious look on her face. "But, he's still somehow pulling strings. Somewhere." Hannah looked to the semi before her. "Optimus, I can't help but think that something is wrong with Maddie. She's acting totally different to what I remember, and-" She choked on her last words, emotions welling up. "She... died, Optimus." Hannah finally croaked out. Tears began to fall down her face.

"Talida, I know it must be hard for you." The leader reassured. Hannah only continued to cry silently. The Prime offered his servo, she stepped on, and he brought her close to his face. "I have seen many comrades fall before me. But I had not thought that Megatron would do such a thing."

"Neither had I." Hannah said quietly. She looked up to his face. "I think it was a good idea to have Maddie see Starscream. No matter how much Ratchet doesn't like the idea." She smirked at the last comment. Optimus only smiled, amused. Hannah's face fell, amusement gone. "I feel like that only Ratchet knows about Maddie's bond to Starscream and ours between us..."

"Are you suggesting that well tell them?" Hannah shook her head.

"I just... I feel like we're keeping everyone in the dark... It doesn't really seem right to do that to them." Optimus only stared at her. He inclined his head in understanding.

"It is your choice to let them know." Hannah nodded her head in understanding. She hugged his large face, and grinned.

"Thanks, Optimus." She released his face and hopped down. Hannah grinned broadly. Then she felt something from Optimus' side of the bond.

"Talida, though you may be living here at the base, I have a question to ask of you." Optimus said. She waited for him to continue. "Do you still wish to continue your "High School" education where you are currently enrolled?"

Hannah thought on that for a moment or two. Did she really want to go back there? No. Was it a good idea? Yes. As much as she disliked it, even SHE had to admit education was important. With a sigh, she made her choice.

"Yeah. I won't deny that I generally dislike school, but that's because I'm a teenager, and teenagers dislike school. Mostly." she answered. Optimus chuckled softly.

"I did not enjoy the academy much either." he admitted. Hannah grinned and laughed at the confession. THE Optimus Prime, pretty much a LEGEND, just told her, a former-human, that he didn't like school. That was_ priceless_.

"That is...an unexpected confession." she giggled.

"I want to see Miko!"

"Bulkhead! She isn't here! Get back in that bed! You'll overexert yourself!"

Optimus and Hannah exchanged confused looks and returned to the main entrance of the base. Bulkhead was no longer in the med-bay, and Ratchet was trying to get him back inside.

"Ratch, I gotta see her!" Bulkhead begged. Hannah sighed.

"Bulkhead, Arcee's gonna bring Miko here with Jack tomorrow, you can see her then." she tried calming the wrecker. The mech sighed in defeat.

"I'm still going to call her.." He grumbled unconvincingly.

"No, you're not. You're staying here to recover, and besides, you can't just waltz out there in your condition. What if one of the 'Cons find you like this?" Hannah exclaimed worriedly. Bulkhead stared at her, Hannah frowned. "What, is there something on my face?" She aske/demanded the green wrecker.

"You look.. different." He commented. Hannah sighed, irritated.

"I'll explain tomorrow. Now... just.. do what Ratchet says. Okay?" The girl watched the truck leave, dragging one of his pedes while doing so. Hannah felt sympathy for the warrior. She hated the inability to do or see something. Like dislocating her arm when she was younger, and she hadn't been allowed to play at the park.

"I know it is hard to see one of our friends hurt like this." Hannah looked to the Prime, sensing mixed emotions within the bond, primarily consisting worry for Bulkhead.

"Yeah. Bulk's persistent. A bittersweet trait, since it kept the Tox-en away from the 'Cons, but now he's up and about too soon and he needs to recover." She replied. "It's getting late, I probably should go collect Maddie." She continued, hopping down from his shoulder. Optimus nodded his helm slightly in agreement, and motioned over to the bridge controls. Hannah looked back at the Autobot leader, she smiled, and went through the the swirling portal.

:::_See you soon_:::

* * *

**So Hannah got booted out of her house, but she gets to move in with the Bots! Yaaaaaay! Mads and Screamer got to see each other again. Seems that Hannah and OP are a little closer than before. Reviews are Christmas presents! Happy Holidays everyone!**

**So, le translations :3**

**(Well I can understand _you!_**  
**Sorry.**  
**Talida! I missed you!**  
**I fought with Fowly again..**  
**M: Why can't I go see the world?**  
**H: You have no mask.**  
**Whatever.**  
**Starscream..**  
**Maddie?)**


	22. Remember

**A/N: So, so sorry that we didn't get up many chapters over the winter break. There was lots of head-bashing on the keyboard writing this one. (For me anyways.) I intended it to have some friendly fluff between Hannah and Mads, it was really hard to write too. Also, for those of you keeping score on where we're at in the show, we're gonna be doing 'New Recruit' soon enough.**

**Enjoy the short chappie!**

* * *

Remember

Maddie woke up to see the blank, stone ceiling of her bedroom. She shot up bolt-straight, realizing that she was back at the Autobot base. She quietly moved the blanket and slipped off her bed, the girl noticed that the dent she had kicked in yesterday was still there. She ignored it though, and opened the door. The whole base was pretty quiet, but as she wandered around, she could hear talking.

"Want me to talk to her?"

"Let her be. All she needs is some time."

Maddie cautiously stalked over to the main room, only to see Bulkhead's broad back. She could hear him venting almost disappointed at something. She watched as Ratchet helped the green wrecker up off his rear. Maddie stared around the room, she saw the boys of the human trio over in the rec area, Optimus doing something on one of the monitors, and she could see Hannah watching intently at the screen from her perch on the mech's shoulder. Hannah turned to see her friend awake.

Hannah took one last look at the progress Optimus had so far on decoding the Iacon Database, and hopped down from where she was on his shoulder. She bounced, all excited-like, to her friend. "Glad to see that you're awake. Ratchet said that he would like to see you as soon as you were up." She grabbed Maddie's hand and half-led, half-dragged the girl to the medical bay.

"_T'al'e_!" Maddie whined. "Not want examined!" she said with a pout. She felt Starscream's amusement, and sent her own indignant irritation to the flier.  
"You have to, Doc said so." Her friend retorted. Maddie stayed silent as they entered the medic's sanctuary.

(Hours Later)

Hannah was in front of her dad and stepmom's house, in Optimus' cab. With her stronger hearing, she could hear Crystal ordering her step brother to his room, and the resulting fake crying fit. She heard her dad snickering, and her little brother cooing.

"Talida, you are certain you still want to do this?" Optimus asked, his voice making the speakers vibrate. Hannah took in a deep breath, before nodding her head.

"Yeah. I just want to see them, and I need to get something from my room here." she said, heavily exhaling. She was so nervous. Optimus could feel her shaking on the passenger seat.

"Do you wish me to accompany you in my Holoform?" he asked. She shook her head.

"No. He's the overprotective father, and he'll just get suspicious and angry if he sees me with...well...a man." she turned embarrassed as she finished, and her cheeks tinted pink. Then she hopped out of Optimus, walking towards the three-storey house. The door opened before she could reach for the knob, and she was quite suddenly trapped in a tight hug.

"Hannah! I missed you!" her five year old step brother exclaimed. With a laugh, she hugged him back, until her dad appeared.

"Come on, Camron, up to your room." he said sternly. He started to have a fit as he stormed up the stairs, and Hannah tried to hide her giggles.

"Hey, dad. Sorry to drop in like this, but I need to get something from my room." she greeted, walking into the house.

"Sorry I can't stay longer, I just figured I'd say hi, and get what I need." she continued, walking past the kitchen and down the stairs. As soon as she opened the door, she saw that everything was exactly as she left it. She walked to her desk, opening the bottom drawer and rifling through it until she found what she had come for: her Autobot necklace.

She clipped it around her neck and darted back up the stairs into the living room. Her nine-month-old brother was babbling happily as he played with his toys, and let out a giggle when Hannah scooped him up off the floor, twirling once before hugging him to her.

As Optimus watched his young sparkmate playing with her brother, he felt a swell of love in his spark. It reminded him so dearly of Elita-1, his previous sparkmate that was lost in the war.

He delved deeper into his memories, stopping at one in particular.

It was a picture, from before the war. He was with Elita, and she was holding a sparkling in her arms. Their sparkling.

* * *

_"Aren't you bonded to the femme commander Elita-1?"_

_"That had been what we wanted people to think, but we were no more than good friends."_

_"Well it was believable."_

* * *

Optimus had lied to Starscream. He had once been bonded to Elita-1, but she had been offlined during the battle of Tyger Pax.

"Hannah, what did you do to your eyes?"

Optimus was pulled back to the present by Hannah's stepmom's voice.

"I bought contacts." she lied, looking to her brother. "See you later, Carter." she whispered softly, kissing the baby on his nose. He cooed, reaching for her almost completely red hair. "Nope. I don't think so, little man." she teased, setting him on the carpet again. She said a quick goodbye before walking out of the house again, for the last time. She hopped into Optimus' cab, and he instantly started up his engines, pulling away from the house.

The moment they were out of sight they were bridged back to base. Hannah barely held back tears as she got out of Optimus' cab.

"Tallie? What wrong?" Maddie asked, fleeing from the med-bay the moment she saw her friend.

"I...pretty much just said goodbye to my human family. Or, the ones that still care." She added the last sentence bitterly. "It wouldn't be a good idea to see them anymore. If the decepticons see me with them that'll be insta-kill, more humans on their hit-list, for being associated with the Autobots. I'm protecting them." The way she said it, Maddie thought she was trying to convince herself that. Then she had a thought.

"Is... I allowed to see my... Mom?" She asked. Hannah was silent as she thought on this matter.

"Yeah. But, I think we should ease her into it. She's still trying to work it into her brain that Transformers is real." She answered quietly. Maddie stared in silence as she remembered that she needed to tell her friend something.

"Ratch say need talk to you." Hannah looked to her old friend.

"Why does he need to talk to me?" She responded. Maddie shrugged her shoulders

"Dunno, he say im-por-tant."

"I'll go see him now then." Hannah began to walk somewhat hurriedly to Doc Bot. She could see him working intently on the monitor her was on, his digits typing away amazingly fast. Hannah stopped and stared at the monitor. She could see Cybertronian glyphs fly past the screen. Hannah coughed.

Ratchet turned to the girl, and she saw his optics were worried. Hannah feared the worst. "What's wrong?" She instantly asked. The medic vented.

"Maddie has...dark energon in her body." he said quietly, not wanting to be overheard. Hannah was shocked, but the pieces fit together when she remembered what the Nemesis had said.

_"'She is only being kept alive through the energon I'm providing.'_ Well, that makes sense." she quoted. Ratchet looked like he had something else to say. Hannah could see it in his optics. She frowned. "What else is wrong?" She asked him flatly.

"She's.. also slightly amnesiac. She vaguely remembers some of our names, but not much else about us." Ratchet said in a sigh.

"I think I already figured that part out when you told me she attacked you and Optimus." she reminded him.

"Right." He turned back to his console, and Hannah started to leave. "But I suggest that you speak to her, I have a strange feeling that something is wrong with her."

"'Kay Doc, I will." she responded as she left. Hanah then made her way to the main room. Optimus was the only one present at the moment (since the rest of the kids left for each of their homes). Hannah looked to the Prime, who was still working away at decoding the database. He stopped working when she came near.

"Stuck?" She mused to him. Optimus smiled a little at the single-worded question.

"Somewhat, I am not as good as I once was when I was a data clerk for the Halls of Iacon. It will take some time to finish the entries." By now, Hannah had gone up to the platform. She sighed dejectedly.

"It wouldn't hurt to take a little break..." she murmured hintingly. "Maybe tomorrow...we could go out?" she suggested. Optimus looked to her curiously.

"Go out?" he repeated. Hannah nodded.

"Yeah. You've got a Holoform, maybe I could show you some of the less well-known sights in the world, maybe show you the city." she explained. She was already thinking of her favourite places she could show him, and some places she wanted to see. She waited She was already thinking of some while Optimus considered it.

"I see no problem with going out tomorrow." he finally said. Hannah let out a little cheer.

"Yay! I can't wait!" She exclaimed. But then she remembered what Ratchet asked her to do, and her face lowered a little. "Um, do you know where Maddie is?"

"I believe she went to the top of the base." Hannah nodded. Optimus gave her a questioning look. "Is there a reason why you wish to see her?" Hannah stopped walking to the elevator instantly. She could feel his gaze on her.

"Well, um.. Ratchet asked me to talk to her." She began to fidget with her hands as she spoke. "And... He.. thinks that Maddie might not remember much. So, he believes that if I talk to her, she might remember us or something, 'cause, you know, we've known each other all our lives." The Prime inclined his head in acknowledgement, silently agreeing with his bondmate. Hannah turned around swiftly, and entered the elevator.

* * *

Maddie turn her head as she saw her friend leave the lift. She stared silently as the doors slid shut quietly.

"Hel-lo." She still had trouble with some words.

"Hey, Mads." Hannah greeted in turn. She sat down next to her friend on the ground, and they simply sat for awhile, enjoying the silence. Hannah removed her mask, revealing her true form to her friend. She placed down the transparent mask next to her and took her friend's hand in hers. Maddie turned her head to her friend. A smile was pulling at the corners of her mouth. Though absent of one, Hannah also seemed to be smiling too. But the lightness in her face seemed to sadden all of a sudden. Maddie noticed her face's change.

"What's wrong?" she had pronounced the question perfectly, but Hannah ignored that. She couldn't bear to reply. Was it even possible for someone to know if they had forgotten something? Hannah sighed and stared out into the horizon.

"Nothing really." She lied. "But you know when Doc Bot had to do an examination on you?"

"Yeah."

"He.. found that there was something wrong with your spark." she continued slowly. "There's.. Dark Energon in you."

There was an awkward silence for a long time.

"Can.. he, take out of me?" Hannah looked to Maddie, her green eyes were filled with sadness.

"I don't know. Ratchet hasn't said anything. It's not like the time when Raf and 'Bee got shot by Mega-butt." She stopped talking, silently remembering that moment she had seen on TV. "Doc believes that it probable super-charged your natural regeneration progress, similar to when Megatron was.. comatose." Hannah could see both surprise and hate in her friend's face. Surprise probable from the information she had given, hate that definitely came from the mentioning of the murdering Decepticon warlord.

Maddie started to cry silently.

"_Talô_." Dark. "_Talô sé dé._" It was so dark. Hannah heard her friend say in their language.

"I know, Maddie." she said simply. "The darkness_ is_ scary..." she added to herself. Maddie shook her head slowly.

"No.. not that dark." Hannah tilted her head in questioning. She waited to hear more. Maddie sniffed and wiped away the tears that still continued to stream down her face. "It.. was a dark, where there was only me. A dark where there was no sound or light, just me, alone." Hannah blinked, what kind of dark was she talking about? She decided to wait and listen. Then an idea hit her.

"Wait." She interrupted whatever it was Maddie was going to say. "A-are you saying that this is what happened.. after... you..." She couldn't say the word.

"Died?" She finished for her. Hannah couldn't bear to say the word, it reminded her of too many things. Both from past and future events. She couldn't help the fact that she began to cry as well.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Maddie, for what happened to you..." she said, her voice wavering as she pulled the smaller girl into a hug.

"Not your fault." Maddie sniffled. "But there was thing in my head, I know not there before."

"What was it?" Hannah asked.

_"'Shockwave's secret log.'"_

* * *

**And an (not so) epic cliffhanger. Anyone remember about halfway through chapter nineteen when Maddie was in the dark? Bingo! I'm talking about that part! Maddie somehow got some information about Shockie when she was 'dead' and connected to the Nemesis. And now there will be fluff ahoy with Hannah and OP. As one reviewer wished for so kindly.**

**We'd also like to thank you all for continuing to read and review this story for so long. The story's definitaly gonna be a bit longer (maybe by the time it's gone it'll be something like 30 chapters long :\ I don't know). So, anyways, see you all in two weeks!**


	23. Going Out

**A/N: Oh god.. I'm sooooooo _sorry_ that this is so late! There was more key-bashing with chapter. On top of that I have finals this week. So I might not be able to write at ALL. *le gasp* So don't expect much from me next week.**

**Enjoy ;u;**

* * *

Going Out

Hannah POV******  
**

I hardly slept that night. As excited as I was to be with Optimus and on a date, I was scared. Because of what Maddie told me. I sighed and I allowed myself to be brought back to last night...

* * *

_"W-what do you mean 'Shockwave's secret log'?!" I had half shouted the question. I let go of Maddie's hand and balled it up into a fist. Maddie looked like she was scared. She must be with my outburst._

_"Don't know! Just found in head!" she exclaimed. I took a deep breath, calming myself almost instantly._

_"I'm sorry, I just really..__.**r**__**eally** hate Shockwave.." I mumbled apologetically. Maddie nodded, accepting it._

_"S'okay." She said simply. "Have right to be upset. Should've told you sooner." I shook my head at her._

_"No, it's fine. What we should focus on is getting your memories of the 'Bots back."_

* * *

My head hit the desk, jolting me awake. I sat up instantly, putting a hand on my forehead with a wince.

"Ow.." I muttered. Then I looked around. I was in my room at the base. Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I groaned; it was five freakin' thirty in the morning! I leaned forward again, willingly letting my head thud into the desk. God, I was tired!

* * *

_Maddie POV******  
**_

I couldn't sleep.

Maybe it was because of the interaction I had with Hannah - no - Talida, last night. I stared at the bedside clock that my room had come with. Five-thirty. Shit, I only slept something like an hour. "Dammit." I mutter the swear, the only one that I could say in english. I sigh, and get up off the bed. I stared at the still-dented door from my anger spell. How the hell was I supposed to fix that?! I shrugged, and walked past it into the hallway.

It was amazingly cold in the silo. Of course the whole base_ is_ made out of rock, so it shouldn't surprise me. I continue my way to the main room. I could see that Ratchet was up. Stereotypical for old dudes like him. Always up first thing in the morning. He turned towards me as soon as I entered.

"Mornin'." he greeted. I nod my head to him. "Bulkhead's up as well. He's in some minor amount of pain. I'm sad that I can't synthesize anything that'll numb his systems." By now I had already gotten up to the platform. I nod again. I wave to Ratchet and make my way to where Bulk is.

I suddenly feel faint as the room turns sideways. And before I know it, my head hits the floor. My vision blurs and it gets dark as I see the green wrecker enter the room.

"Maddie!"

My world then goes dark.

* * *

_Hannah POV_******  
**

I yawn and look to my phone again. Eight. Well at least I got _some_ sleep. I get up out of the chair and leave my dark room. Optimus was awake. I could tell, he was just as excited as I am. Albeit a little worried for some reason. I shrug it off, and enter the main room. Bumblebee is with the kids, watching whatever cartoon was on the clunker of a TV. Miko was helping Bulkhead exercise his injured leg into shape. Arcee was probable off doing something. The only ones missing were Ratchet and Optimus.

Suddenly the bond was blocked off on his side. It was like he only just realized that I was awake. Remnants of worry remained. But it wasn't directed towards me. My eyes widened. No..

I run in the direction of the medbay. I keep pushing into the mental wall my bondmate put up, begging to find out what was wrong. I skid to a stop the moment I pass through the large archway. And there I can see the two mechs, seemingly looking like they were in an intense conversation. I approach and cough.

Their attention is turned directly at me.

"Uh, good morning?" I say awkwardly, shuffling my feet a little bit. "Is... something wrong?" I asked.

"Ratch-et, I already say I'm fine!" I heard Maddie yell. I turned my head to see her in the medic's servo.

"What happened?" I asked, walking up to the group.

"Maddie fainted." I saw Maddie glare at Doc-Bot.

"I fine now!" she whined.

"No, you're not." he replied firmly. "And you're absolutely not leaving that bed, until I figure out what happened!" I snickered at Maddie's pouting face, but hid it behind my hands when she looked to me.

"_Naay m'e, T'al'e_!" she cried dramatically, letting herself fall back onto the pillow. I rolled my eyes at the dramatics, shaking my head slightly.

"Sorry Mads, when it comes to health, Doc's word is law." I said, adding my own dramatics into it. I heard her grumbling something that should not be repeated into her pillow, and I snickered again. Optimus looked down to me.

"Ready to go?" I nodded, I was so _excited_! It's still hard to register that I'm going on a _date_, with_ the_ Optimus Prime. So many fangirls will murder me for that position.

Optimus transformed and opened the passenger door. I climbed my way into the semi's tall cabin. The Ground Bridge activated and he began to drive through.

I heard a sound in the cabin right next to me. It sound akin to someone sighing, I feel a hand on my shoulder. I instantly snap my head to the person touching me. My eyes bugged out on me.

"Optimus?" I asked quietly. The man smiled a little.

"Yes. It is me." His voice was still an even baritone, allowing me to still recognize him. He was really handsome in his Holoform. Like_ really handsome_. I felt myself grinning at the Holoform's face. My eyes looked it over completely, and I liked what I saw. He seemed pretty muscular and was wearing blue jeans, a grey wife-beater shirt underneath a blue button-up that had flames decorating the sleeves, and a military-esque chain with an Autobot insignia dangling from it.

All in all, fucking_ hot_.

"Wow.. This is seriously cool." I said quietly, reaching out with one hand. I put it on the Holoform's chest, where his heart would be if he were human, and my hand met with solid 'flesh'. I heard him sigh at the touch, and I felt the hum of his holographic spark beneath my fingers.

"So...where are we going?" I asked. Optimus had been a little secretive about what we were going to do today.

"We are already here, Talida." he said, and I realized we weren't in the groundbridge anymore. I hopped out of Optimus' cab, looking around us. I gasped quietly. It was beautiful.

"Optimus, what is this place? Where are we?" I asked quietly, looking around me. It was a beach, but...it was hidden by the island around it. The only entrances were the circular hole that revealed the beach, directly above us, and where the water came in, from a hole in the rocks.

"We are located in the hidden beach on one of the Marieta islands, in Mexico." he answered. I looked back at him, awestruck. I felt a small prod from the bond, and I opened myself to it. In my head, I saw what I looked like, from Optimus' eyes.

My hair was almost completely red, like his armour, my eyes almost glowed blue like his, and my skin was fair and clear. I had grown, quite a bit, and my face looked older. I was thin, but my body retained its curves in the right spots. I...I was actually beautiful.

_'That can't be me...'_ a small part of my mind thought, the part that had zero self-confidence. _'She's too beautiful to be me.'_

My sight returned to its normal place, and I saw a small frown on Optimus' face as he strode towards me, his footsteps making no noise across the smooth sand.

"Talida," he began, cupping my cheeks in his hands when he reached me. "You are_ beautiful_." he whispered. I shook my head a little bit, and tears welled in my eyes.

"Maybe _now_..." I mumbled. I opened my memories to him, and let him see why I thought I wasn't pretty. My date to a school dance ditched me for the school 'hottie' in grade 7. The words 'Hannah is an ugly- (insert plethora of bad words here)' written in a bathroom stall. Snickers and giggles behind my back if I wore a two-piece when I went swimming.

I was pulled from my own memories when I felt a pair of arms wrap around me. Optimus pulled away after a few seconds, and wiped away the few tears that escaped with his thumbs.

"You _are_ beautiful. So, _so_ beautiful." he said firmly, willing me to believe him. I nodded my head.

"Okay, no more tears." I said, wiping my face off. "Did you plan on actually swimming? I mean...I don't have a swimsuit." I added, my cheeks going energon-blue when I blushed. Optimus chuckled, and led me back to his alt-mode. I saw him pull out a sporty-type duffel-bag, and he handed it to me. I unzipped it, surprised to see a dark blue beach-towel and a red swimsuit with the tags still on it. I raised an eyebrow at Optimus.

"I requested June's assistance in...acquiring clothing items of your size." he said, seeming almost embarrassed. I giggled.

"That's sweet, you went through the trouble of arranging all of this for us." I said. I then walked to Optimus' vehicle form, opening the door to the sleeper cabin. "I'm just gonna change back here." I said, closing the door behind me.

* * *

(Maddie POV)

I watched sadly as Hannah and Optimus disappeared through the Groundbridge. I wished I could do something like that, with Starscream. God, I missed him so much already. I sigh disappointedly, and glare at the Medic. I occasionally make a face every time he turns his back to me.

"When can I leave?" I asked. Good, my speech was getting closer to normal with every sentence. For some reason lately, I've been getting really restless, and I've been wanting to get outside and get some fresh air. I know that I'm seriously an indoors person, but I HAVE to get out every now and then. When the medic seemed to be totally engrossed in something, I took the chance and dashed out of there.

* * *

(Hannah POV)

I was more than a little surprised by the warm temperature of the water. It wasn't icy cold, but it wasn't quite lukewarm either.

"Well this is nice." I thought aloud as I waded into the water, up to my waist. I crossed my arms over my chest and turned back to Optimus. "Are you gonna come in?" I asked. I jumped with a yelp when I realized he was already behind me, and that caused me to tumble into the salt-water. I felt Optimus's arms wrap around me and I surfaced again with a choked laugh.

"Are you alright?" he asked worriedly as I coughed out water from my throat as I laughed.

"Yeah, I'm fine! You just-" I coughed again. "-Startled me." I finished. Then I was stunned into silence. Optimus' face was just a few inches away from mine, and I could see his eyes. They were deep blue, like sapphires, and they practically glowed. I hadn't noticed that I was getting closer and closer to his face.******  
**

Then I kissed him. It was simple, and chaste. Nothing more than just our lips touching. But it was _amazing._ My first kiss, and I was sharing it with _Optimus Prime_. How many people can say that truthfully? Except for maybe Elita-1...

Optimus pulled back, a bit too soon for my liking, and he looked shocked.

"Sorry..." I apologized with a blush. "It's just-"

I wasn't able to finish my sentence, as I was quite suddenly being kissed. Again. There was a sort of urgency in it, I didn't know what to make of it. So, I did what I'd do in any situation; I went along with it, and I found myself kissing Optimus back.

* * *

(Maddie POV)******  
**

I stared at the TV, which was on to some random channel. I was bored out of my mind, and of course I could hear the Hatchet raging in the background, forcing me to jump every time something sounded really close. I strained my hearing, trying to tell how close he was. I also tried to focus on the tv at the same time, which was something about missing children. I think it was called 'America's Most Wanted'? At the moment the guy on-screen was talking about a girl that I recognised, but the name kept slipping from my mind.

A loud sound came from the monitor that was there and I could somehow tell that it was a notification that Optimus wanted a ground bridge. I turned my head in the direction to where Hatchet was.

"Hatchet! Optimus needs a bridge!" I hollered. He stormed in seconds later, an angry expression on his faceplate.

"You were instructed to stay on that berth." he pointed a finger to the hospital bed that I'd abandoned some hours ago. I nodded my head nonchalantly at him.

"But Optimus needs a bridge." I repeated. He frowned at me, before nodding his head and opening up the groundbridge. Optimus drove through in his peterbilt form a second later. My eyes widened when I saw scorch-marks all over his frame.

"By the allspark, what happened to you?" Ratchet demanded. The cab door opened, and Talida came out a second later, holding a baby in a blanket. She had a dead look in her eyes as she walked towards the hallway to her quarters.

"The Decepticons found out where my dad lived." she whispered. My eyes widened more. That dead expression matched her emotionless tone of voice, but she said nothing else as she carried the baby in her arms away.

* * *

(Hannah POV - Earlier)

"Hey Optimus?" I whispered softly. It was dark now, on the beach. I was curled up into Optimus' side as we laid on the blanket looking at the stars.

"Yes?" came the reply.

"Can we...visit my dad again? In a little while, I mean." I requested. Optimus sat up a little bit, propping his head up on his elbow to look at me.

"I suppose. But, I thought you were worried for their safety." he said, confused. I nodded my head.

"I know, and I still am. I just..." I took a deep breath before continuing. "I don't want fear to rule what's left of my human life. I don't want to miss out on seeing my brother grow up. He's only a baby, Optimus. Almost ten months old. I don't want to miss out on all those special little moments in his life." I whispered.

"I understand, Talida." he murmured, looking back up to the stars. There was a short, peaceful silence, before he spoke again. "I felt the same way as you do, when I was with Elita-1."

I looked at him confusedly, and he sat up again.

"I was afraid of one of the Decepticons going after her if they learned that I was her sparkmate, and I was afraid for the safety of our sparkling." My eyebrows shot up into my bangs when he said that. I was having mixed feelings as it sunk in; On my fangirl side, I was squealing about the fact that Optimus and Elita had had a sparkling. On my Talida side, I was partially jealous, because something like that couldn't be possible between me and him...could it? He didn't seem to respond to the thoughts he no-doubt heard in my head, and he continued speaking. "He was only a few weeks old, when Elita was murdered by Megatron." he said sadly. I felt an ache from the bond.

"Was...was the sparkling..." I couldn't bring myself to finish. Optimus shook his head.

"I can still feel him through the bond, but it is too weak to know where he is, or what he is feeling and thinking. He could be here on this planet, and I wouldn't know."

I swallowed thickly, feeling the urge to cry. I didn't want Optimus to be in pain, but there wasn't anything I could do to alleviate it.

"Did he have a name..?" I asked. Optimus didn't reply for a few seconds.

"Elita and I couldn't decide between two names." he admitted. "Sideswipe, and Smokescreen."

I dampened the bond for a few moments as shock overcame me, and an epiphany hit me. Smokescreen could be Optimus' son! And he was gonna be here, any day now! But then, if it was Sideswipe, then Primus knew when the hell -or rather if- he was gonna show up. When I got over it, I opened the bond again. A chilly wind tore through the small hidden beach, throwing sand every which way, and I shielded my eyes from it with a small shiver. Now that it was dark, the wind coming from the east was biting, and actually rather cold.

"Are you ready to leave?" Optimus asked, noticing my shiver. I nodded my head, and rolled over so I could grab my jeans, pulling them on over my swimsuit bottoms. I did the same with my tank top, before slipping into my shoes.

"Are_ you_ ready?" I asked teasingly as we shook the sand off the blanket and folded it up. He nodded his head at me, and as soon as we finished his holoform disintegrated. I got in the passenger-side seat without a word, and the holoform re-materialized beside me, in his normal clothes. Just as Optimus was about to com the base, I shook my head at him and gestured towards the bracelet on my wrist. I opened a 'secret' panel in the side. There was a keypad and a holographic screen with a map of the world on it, in miniature. I pressed a single button after entering in the coordinates, and a small groundbridge portal opened in front of us.

"How did you-"

"Personal Groundbridge device." I answered. "Wheeljack gave it to me when we were on the Jackhammer. He said he didn't have any use for it." I explained. Without further question, Optimus drove through the bridge. I made sure it closed behind us, and I saw that we were less than a block away from my dad's house. The short drive was done in silence, until we pulled up outside of his house. I took in a nervous breath as I looked to the house, seeing that the lights were still on. I pulled out my phone and checked the time. 10:45. So it wasn't really that late after all.******  
**

"Talida, do you wish for me to wait here?" Optimus asked. His Holoform sat in the driver-seat of his vehicle form, looking at me curiously. I nodded.

"It'd still be for the better if you don't come inside..." I murmured. "Even better, if dad doesn't know you exist." I added , pointedly looking at his Holoform. It began to dissipate, but I held a hand up, stopping him. Slowly he reformed.

Before he could ask, I pressed my lips to his in a chaste kiss.

"For good luck." I whispered, and he smiled at me before disappearing again. I turned around in the passenger-seat, and I froze on the spot. Dad was standing on the porch, looking both angry and shocked.

"Shit. I'm so screwed." I whispered, opening the cab door and hopping to the ground. I then walked down the walkway and up the stairs, until I was on the porch in front of my human dad.

"Hey, dad." I greeted quietly. I knew I was probably in trouble, but was willing to deal with it.

"Come on, inside." dad said firmly, leading me inside.

* * *

(Normal POV)

She sat down on the couch without being told, keeping her eyes on her boots.

"Now, why don't you tell me what's going on?" he suggested, a poorly veiled order. Hannah sighed.

"Long story short, I'm dating an Autobot." she said bluntly. There was silence, and she knew her dad was waiting for the punchline. "Optimus Prime, to be a bit more precise. I've been living with him and the five Autobots for the past month, because mom kicked me out, because of this." she flicked a lock of hair around to show what she meant.

There was silence. He didn't believe her, she knew it.

"Optimus Prime, very funny. He looks too old for you." her dad stated bluntly.

"I'm a fully matured adult-"

"No, you're not. You're a fourteen year old girl. I don't give a damn if you look nineteen, you're still fourteen, and you're still my daughter. You're not going to see him any more, Hannah."

Hannah felt her anger at the statement, as well as Optimus'.

"_David_." she spoke his name, cutting off whatever else he had been about to say. "You have not been in my life for the past four years enough to make that decision for me. I love him."

Before either of them could say anything more, there was a yell outside.

"_Talida, get-_"

It was cut off by a loud explosion. Hannah instantly ducked behind the couch as cement and other debris came flying at them from the window. Her dad was not so lucky.

Hannah gasped in horror when he fell to the ground, blood dripping from a large...crack...in the side of his head. She forced herself not to scream, and she felt herself gagging at the sight.

She called to Optimus through the bond, but he was nonresponsive, unconscious. She cursed. She looked around, and saw that flames were licking up the sides of the house, catching on anything and everything in their path. There were screams and cries coming from upstairs, and Hannah instantly jumped to her feet, running to the stairs. She began coughing as smoke filled her lungs, and she ran up the stairs, where the smoke was already thick.

"Crystal! Camron!" she yelled, reaching for the door.

"Hannah! The door's jammed! It's not opening!" Crystal yelled from the other side. Hannah felt around, and she cursed when she realized what it was.

"The movie shelf, it's blocking the door! It's stuck!" she cried as she tried moving it. But it was jammed tight. It wouldn't budge an inch. She heard a baby's cry from behind her, and she gasped when she remembered Carter. She slammed into the door, making it fall off its rickety hinges, making a beeline for Carter's crib. She grabbed him in her arms, wrapping him in a blanket, before turning to the door again. The flames, already widespread through the house, blocked her only safe escape. They were trapped.

Carter continued to wail, struggling beneath the blanket he was swaddled in, as Hannah ran to the window, smashing the pane out completely.

She looked to the roof of her neighbor's house, and stood on the windowsill. Tears were streaming down her face as she heard her step-family's cries from the other room, and she jumped, shakily landing on the roof.

She then ran to the side where the balcony was, jumping to there before jumping to the ground. She ran to Optimus' cab, and felt through the bond that he was still unconscious. She set her brother down on the passenger-seat, putting the seatbelt on him before running back to the house. She broke the front door as she ran straight upstairs. She pulled and kicked the movie shelf with all she had, but it still didn't budge.

_:::Talida, you have to get out of there! The housing unit is going to collapse!:::_ Optimus's voice urgently spoke through the bond.

"I can't leave them!" Hannah sobbed. The roof above the stairs slowly began crumbling, and Hannah knew she had no choice. She ran back down the stairs and out the door.

She heard wailing sirens in the distance as she ran towards Optimus, but paid them no heed.

"Can you save them?" she demanded, her voice hoarse as she stifled coughs. Optimus didn't answer. The cracking behind her was answer enough. Whirling around, she watched in silent horror as the house collapsed, the flames still consuming everything that was her old home, and her old family. After several long seconds, a pained cry escaped Hannah's lips as she fell to the ground, shaking with sobs.

"D-dad! _Daddy_!" she cried. She heard the telltale sound signifying a Holoform materializing, before she was pulled into a pair of strong arms. "Br-bring him back! Bring him back!" she screamed, smacking her fists weakly into Optimus' chest.

Optimus looked into the night sky as he held his crying sparkmate in his arms, and his eyes narrowed when he saw a single Decepticon drone flying away.

"Talida, we must return to base." he murmured, standing up with Hannah cradled in his arms. She nodded weakly against his chest, and he carried her to his vehicle form. She got to her own feet when he opened the door, picking her wailing brother up into her arms.

She worked to soothe him and quiet him, and he fell into a restless sleep when she hummed a quiet lullaby, running her fingers along his scalp and back.

Optimus commed the base, and they disappeared through the groundbridge moments before the fire trucks wailed around the corner.

Maddie and Ratchet were the only ones at base, and the latter instantly demanded what happened when he saw the scorch marks on Optimus' frame. The answer came from Hannah, though, when she hopped out of the cab with Carter laid against her chest, his face buried in the crook of her neck.

"The Decepticons found where my dad lived." she whispered. That was all she said as she walked to her quarters to clean herself and Carter up. In his case, there wasn't much she could do, other than clean the ash and dirt from his face, arms, and legs.

Once she finished, she laid him on the bed, on the side nearest to the wall, and went to sleep, with one arm over him protectively.

* * *

_Next Morning_

"Optimus, we cannot have a human infant living here at the base!" Ratchet stressed.

Both bots looked to the kids' loft, where Hannah was now playing with Carter. She flipped a thin blanket over his head and he squealed. Then he made small, determined noises as he pulled it to the floor in front of him, little whispered babbling. He didn't know how to shift it backwards, so it was the best he could do. He had a big smile on his face, revealing four small protruding front teeth, when his face popped back up. Hannah cheered and clapped her hands, while her brother mimicked her movements.

They could both see how hard she was trying, to keep her cool and calm. Through the bond, Optimus felt her emotions, and she was a wreck.

"Be that as it may, old friend," Optimus began. "He has nobody left but Talida, and she will not let him be put into the custody of foster parents."

"Damn straight!" Hannah called from the loft, scooping her brother into her arms. "I've met kids that grew up in the system. It's not pretty, and I won't let my brother to through that, even if he's not my blood brother." she said firmly. Tears welled in her eyes. "I owe it to Crystal and my dad to look out for him. It's my fault he's here anyways! I told you guys that if I kept on visiting them at their house, one day the cons would find them, and now they're dead! My dad, my stepmom, and my five year old stepbrother are DEAD! I should have stuck to my own advice!" she cried.

Optimus felt her pain and anguish through the bond, and reached out to her mentally. She accepted his comfort, and calmed down. Right on time, from the looks of it, as the three kids turned up at the base's entrance, with Mrs. Darby behind them. The kids all stared at the sight of Hannah holding a baby, and she could practically feel them jumping to conclusions.

"This is my brother, Carter James." she said. "I managed to... get him out of my dad's house before it... collapsed." she choked out.

The humans were dumbstruck.

"Sweetie, what happened?" June asked, instantly going into motherly-mode as she walked up to the loft. Everything from the night previous seemed to hit Hannah all in one moment, as she slipped onto the couch, cradling Carter in her arms, pulling her knees up and seemingly shielding him.

"Last night...I went to visit my dad again. I convinced myself. Dad saw me kiss Optimus' Holoform. I was... in trouble. He talked to me, giving me the whole 'he's too old for you' speal. I defended myself. But...less than a minute afterwards, there was an explosion outside." Hannah took in a shuddering breath.

"The Decepticons found us. Optimus had gotten knocked out from the explosion, so he couldn't get to us. The explosion...set fire to the house. Instantly. Dad was-" She sucked in a sharp inhale of breath. "Hit by a piece of flying debris, in the head. He...died." It was becoming increasingly harder for her to talk, but she did so anyways.

"Crystal was with Camron, upstairs in his room, and they were trapped because of a cabinet in the hallway. Carter's room was right across the hall from his, not blocked off. I managed to get him out of his crib, but the door had already caught fire. I was stuck." Hannah was close to hyperventilating now.

"I-I jumped...out of the window...onto my neighbor's roof. B-but...I couldn't...I couldn't..." She took in short, gasping breaths, and Carter began to cry in her lap. "I couldn't save them... I tried going back inside, b-but..."

"It's okay, it's okay." June tried to sooth the teen, and the crying baby in her arms. The kids and their guardians stood silent in shock as Hannah broke down in June's arms. Ratchet gave Optimus a knowing look, and he nodded, transforming down. His Holoform slid from the seat and briskly went to the loft, ignoring the human's continuously baffled looks. Sitting down on the human couch, he once again pulled Hannah into his lap.

After a few minutes, both Hannah and Carter were lulled to sleep by the sound of the Holoform's spark.

"Is- is that Optimus?" Jack whispered to the now-transformed Arcee, who nodded.

"His Holoform. All five of us have one." she informed him quietly as Optimus laid Hannah on the couch, while June took Carter.

"Is she gonna be okay?" Raf asked. Optimus nodded, and the Holoform dissipated.

"Yes she will, Rafael, though I don't imagine recovering from the emotional trauma will be easy for Talida. We must be here for her." he stated.

"What about her brother?" Miko asked. "I mean...it's not like you can just keep him here."

Optimus was quiet for a moment. He knew Miko was right, but he still felt the pain in his spark from the other end of the bond, he did not want to be responsible for making that pain worse.

"We will discuss that later." he said with a tone of finality.

* * *

Meanwhile on the Nemesis, trouble was brewing.

"You mean Optimus Prime_ survived!_?" Megatron demanded angrily, glaring at the drone. He weakly nodded his head.

"Yes sir, but I know for a fact that I discovered something of great value, sir." he stated, and he hit a playback setting of the conversation he'd heard before he'd attacked.

_'Long story short, I'm dating an Autobot- Optimus Prime, to be a bit more precise. I've been living with him and the other five Autobots for the past month, because mom kicked me out-'_

It was the voice of that wretched Nanourtian, Talida, Megatron realized. He grinned evilly.

"So, my brother has found himself another sparkmate." he stated, that evil smirk still on his face. Then it faded into a dark look. "I want her captured, so I can have the joy of terminating Optimus Prime's sparkmate in front of his optics once again!" he declared.

* * *

"You guys, be quiet! You're gonna wake her up!"

"You're being just as loud, you know!"

Hannah groaned quietly, curling into a ball as she pulled her pillow over her head to muffle the noise. There was a tug on her hair and she peeked out from her pillow to see Carter a few inches away from her face, holding himself up with the couch. She blinked at him, unsure of what to do. Then he did something that -if she had to admit- had become a bit...normal with him. He basically tried to eat her, making cute growl-type noises as he did. She heard three separate laughs, and she saw the kids trying hard to muffle their laughter at the situation.

"Okay, that's enough, I'm not a teething ring." she said, prying Carter's fingers from her hair and picking him up, wiping the baby-drool off on her sleeve.

"Does he always do that?" Jack asked. Hannah nodded, and she laid back again with Carter situated on her torso. She stood him up on her stomach, and giggled as he kicked his feet around, trying to jump as he held her hands. He only succeeded in tickling Hannah and bouncing up and down on the spot.

"He's such a brave kid. He watched me play scary games on the TV, and it didn't even faze him. And believe me, I've played some pretty scary games." she murmured. There was relative silence for a few seconds, when out of nowhere-

"Anna."

"Carter."

"Anna."

"Carter."

It was a constant for Hannah to have this sort of 'conversation' with Carter, when she visited him. Miko 'aww'd at the sight. But then the peace was disrupted. Nothing good ever lasted longer than a few minutes. The proximity alarm went off; it was Fowler.

"Prime, I just got word about the attack on the Armstrong residence." Fowler stated as he exited the elevator. He looked to the kids by the couch, his eyes flitting from Hannah to Carter and back again.

"It was the Decepticons, Fowler. But... it was also partially my fault." Hannah said, standing up with Carter in her arms. "I went to visit my dad, and I guess one of the Decepticon drones followed us. My dad, my stepmom, and my stepbrother are dead, but I saved Carter." There it was again, the emotionless tone in her voice. "He has nobody else to go to, sir. He needs to stay with me." Fowler looked dumbstruck. He looked over to June who seemed to have the same idea as him.

"I could take care of him for you." The nurse offered. "I still have Jack's old baby toys and furniture in the basement, and it doesn't cost much to buy the things I don't have." she continued. Hannah thought it over, and she saw the potential in that plan.

"I...I guess... I guess so... I can visit him still, right?" she asked, her mind somewhat hazy from sleep still.

"Of course, sweetie. He's your brother." June answered. Hannah's mouth turned up in the barest hint of a smile, and she nodded her head.

"O-okay.." she finally agreed.

* * *

**So, any thoughts? Also, America's Most Wanted doesn't belong to me.**

**Reviews make us happy!**


	24. Found

**A/N:Laaaaaaaaaadieeeeeeees and gentlemen! Coming in at a hefty eight thooooooooousand words... I present you, Chapter 24! The new chapion has defeated the last champion, Chapter Nineteen, at over one thousand words!**

**So, I'm sure that some of you guys out there have heard that the season premier of Transformers Prime is approaching fast. In fact, it's coming back in two weeks! Febuary 15! So, just to free up you guy's time and watch the first episode of the season, (WHICH IS GONNA BE AWESOME BY THE WAY! Check out the previews on Youtube.) I'm posting the next chapter the day AFTER the premier airs.**

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

Found

(Hannah POV)

"Removing Bumblebee, and replacing him with..." I heard Raf speaking from where I sat on the stairs. Carter was asleep in my room, and I had the equivalent of a baby monitor set up at the moment, so he would be okay. I cocked an eyebrow when I heard the unmistakable sound of a screeching monkey. I stood up and walked over to the couch.

"What in the name of the allspark are you doing to that poor monkey?" I asked teasingly as I sat down next to Jack. The two boys high-fived, and Jack said "The tap-dancing monkey strikes again."

I grinned at them and looked to Bee.

"You're being replaced on the internet by a tap-dancing monkey." I informed him. He bleeped out the equivalent of a laugh.

_/It's better the less humans that know about us./_ he chirped. My eyes widened for a moment.

"I can understand you!" I exclaimed.

"Bumblebee-sightings on the world-wide web are no laughing matter!" Ratchet grouched from the computer console. I stuck my tongue out at him and felt Optimus' half-hearted disapproval. I could tell that he was glad that I was at least a little normal, after what had happened.  
Behind us, I could hear Miko training Bulkhead back into shape, but chose to tune it out in favor of the conspiracy website we were on. My eyes narrowed as I saw a familiar picture.

"What's that?" I asked, pointing to it. Raf enlarged the image and upped the resolution.

_:::A Cybertronian escape-pod, love.:::_ Optimus spoke through the bond, and I felt him approaching behind us as Raf voiced this aloud. He was surprised, and I saw Ratchet turning to gape at us.

"Here, in Earth's atmosphere?" he asked, shocked. I nodded my head.

_'And I know exactly who's in it...'_ I thought in a closed-off spot in my mind.

"Ours or theirs?" Arcee asked as she approached.

"It's impossible to tell with the resolution of the image." Ratchet answered dully. I frowned at him. I wanted this to move along just a little more quickly than it did in the show.

"Ratchet, call it a gut-instinct, but I think that that's an Autobot. We should go check it out." I spoke, climbing onto my mate's offered hand.

"Tally, it could be a trap, and we're already down two Autobots, and don't forget Riptide's missing as well." Arcee replied. "But maybe we could reach out to Wheeljack?"

"I can hear you!" Bulkhead retorted.

"I don't care if Bulkhead isn't combat-ready. After that revenge-stunt he and Miko pulled, Wheeljack can stay rogue!" Ratchet snapped. Anger sparked in me at that statement.

"Oi! I was there too, and we managed to scrap Hardshell and primus-knows-how-many more insecticons in one day with Wheeljack." I reminded him.

_/And you were grounded to the base for two days after./_ Bee reminded ME. I sighed.

"Yep. That too." I agreed. "Still, this is worth investigating." Optimus hummed in agreement.

"An Autobot may be in danger. Ratchet, bring your medical kit." he ordered. Ratchet nodded and he set the coordinates for the groundbridge, opening it moments after. Ratchet, Arcee, and Bumblebee drove through. Optimus set me on the ground before transforming, and doing the same. I got the general message that I was supposed to stay there. I looked to the kids.

"Two things; One, watch after Carter or there's gonna be hell to pay. Two, I'll see ya soon." I said with a grin and a two-fingered salute before pulling off my mask and running through the bridge. What I saw was definitely something you don't see every day;

It was a Decepticon escape-pod, and it's fuel was leaking into a large puddle in front of us, large enough to fill a swimming pool a few times over.

"Talida, you were supposed to remain at base." Optimus rumbled. When had he noticed I was there? Wait... the bond. Doy. I shook my head 'no' at him. He picked me up in one hand, his gaze was intense, and there was a small frown on his faceplates.

"Uh, I'm sorry?" I tried. He didn't respond. "Look, you can give me Pit for pulling a Miko later, but we should really check out that pod." I said, avoiding his optics. With a displeased noise, he nodded, setting me on the ground behind him and the others. I stayed back while they investigated the pod.

"It is of Decepticon origin." I heard him say.

"And the con who was inside blew his way out." Arcee added. I looked to the energon at my feet, and I got an idea. I put my natural hand into the liquid, and my sense of touch extended. I could feel the soil around the puddle as if it was actually my arm. I made the motion of pulling the energon towards me, and I felt myself growing. This was so cool! By the time it was finished I was at least a dozen feet taller, and I had to readjust my center of gravity, just in time for the blaster-fire to start.

A fucking ambush. That's what we were in right now. I ducked into cover behind a rock, conveniently close to Optimus, and I saw his attention was divided between me and the oncoming threat. I also sensed his surprise.

_:::Yeah. I used the spare energon from the crash and grew. Nanourta's are special that way, remember?:::_ I thought to him teasingly. I looked down to my mask, now so much smaller in my hand, and wondered if I could still assume Human form while this size.

'Worth a shot.' I decided, raising the mask to my face. I felt myself changing. It was working! My five strands of 'hair' split apart into thousands more, my fourth finger split down to make my thumb and my forefinger, and I felt my human face forming. It had worked. I was now a 29-foot-tall human being. My world is so screwed up.

"This many cons came out of that one pod?" I heard Arcee question.

"Unless Time Lords gave the 'Cons bigger-on-the-inside technology, then no. This was planned." I answered. "And humans also could refer to it as a 'Clown-car' I added, taking Ratchet's line. Then the fight resumed, going into hand-to-hand as the insecticons advanced towards us.  
"Talida, if you insist upon fighting I recommend you assume your natural form." Ratchet advised, ducking under an attack by an insecticon. I nodded at him, removing my mask. When I had the chance, I handed Optimus the mask and saw him Subspace it. I ducked, jumped, and sidestepped to avoid every shot aimed at me, unsure of how my organic energon-compound would react to being hit by a laser. I turned reflectively when another blaster went off, this one unfamiliar to my ears. I bit my tongue to hide a squeal. It was Smokescreen!

"Incoming!" Arcee called, her and Bee readying their blasters.

"Down in front!" Smokescreen and I ordered in unison. When he reached the two bots, he flipped over them, shooting at the drones.

"Friendly?" I heard Arcee whisper, awestruck. I nudged her where ribs would be on a human.

"Don't question it. Let's just help him." I said, and I took off at a sprint, to the left, running in a wide arc. I was glad that my natural self was mostly clear, other than a blue tinge to it, so I wasn't seen very much. That is, until I tackled an unsuspecting Drone from behind.

_'And here's where years of self-defense training and Kickboxing come into play.'_ I thought with a grin. But then I decided to cheat, making my hand mould into a blade-thingy. Without a second thought, I dispatched the Drone, and just as I was about to take out another- its head was blown off by Optimus. And that was the last one, too.

"Aw, Optimus!" I whined, stomping my foot like a child. He gave me a stern look and I sighed, walking back to the rest of the 'Bots. "Can I have my mask back please?" I asked quietly. Optimus removed it from his subspace and handed it to me wordlessly. I slipped it back on, reverting to being a human. Okay, a 29-foot-tall human, but still a human.

"Woah. Please tell me I'm not the only one who saw that." Smokescreen said from beside me. I giggled as I turned to him.

"That's just me. Trust me, stick around long enough and you'll get used to it." I said with an uncontrollable smile.

"Talida, do you know this Autobot?" Ratchet asked. I looked to him with a shrug.

"Only by namesake. Never met him personally." I answered. Then I looked to Smokescreen again. "Smokescreen, right?" I asked innocently. He nodded. Optimus strode up beside me, but Smokescreen didn't seem to notice.

"And you are?" he asked.

"Talida. And, I believe you already know who this is." I said, gesturing to Optimus with one hand. Smokescreen followed my hand, meeting Optimus' gaze. His optics practically popped out of his face.

"I - Don't believe it! It's Optimus Prime!" he exclaimed, his excited tone reminding me of my own when I met him. Only, mine was more squealy and unrestrained.

"Huh. Another fan." I heard Arcee mutter.

"That's Optimus Prime!" Smokescreen repeated, looking to me. I giggled again.

"Another thing you'll get used to, Smokey." I said, my laugh in my voice as I used mine and Maddie's nickname for the young bot. "Welcome to Earth. It's not Cybertron, but -again- if you stick around long enough, you might start thinking of it as home." I added, gesturing around us.

_:::What next? It's not like we can just bring him back to the base. We don't want a repeat of Makeshift happening.:::_ I thought to Optimus. He turned his head to look at me, and I felt his surprise again. Then his face contorted to that of one in deep thought. I decided to give him a little push in the right direction. _:::Ask him about the insignia on his shoulder. It's not quite the same as yours.:::_ I hinted. He looked to the aforementioned insignia.

"I see that you received your training from Cybertron's Elite Guard." he stated, almost conversationally. Smokescreen shrugged, his excitement toning down a little.

"True enough, though it wasn't much more than a boot camp by the time I joined. I never even got a proper graduation ceremony." he explained.

"There _was_ a war going on." Arcee reminded him irritably. He turned to her.

"Hey, all I ever wanted was to be a soldier and serve the Autobot cause. But what I got, was security detail at Iacon." he retorted.

"The hall of records, of all places? Optimus, do you not find this highly suspicious?" Ratchet whispered. I frowned. I knew this was just wasting time, but there wasn't much I could do without blowing the cover about the fact that 'Hey, I know your future, guys! Right up to the point where the bot I love **dies!**'. I made sure the bond was closed when I thought that.

"Smokescreen, what was your assignment in the halls?" I asked for Optimus.

"Guarding Alpha Trion in what turned out to be the final days of the war." the bot answered casually. Right. I'd forgotten that part.

"_You_ met Alpha Trion?" I asked gleefully. After watching the Original series, and watching Optimus' origins, I respected the old mech. Honestly, he'd been one of my favourites. Other than the usual, of course.

"I wasn't that thrilled at first. Watching the back of an old bot instead of kicking 'Con tailpipe." he said, and there was an awkward silence.

"Sorry. But the Big A turned out to be a great teacher. And a..true friend. I mean, he was the one who petitioned Halogen in the High Council to make you a Prime." he rambled.

_:::Convincing enough for you, love?:::_ I asked through the bond. He turned to me, thinking for a moment, before opening the Comm.

"Rafael, activate the Groundbridge." he commed. I grinned.

"That's it? That's all you need to hear before inviting him to the party?" Arcee demanded. I frowned at her, her words and mood dousing my good one.

"If my former mentor shared this information, it is because he considered Smokescreen a trusted ally." he answered.

_'Or maybe he knew something you didn't.'_ I thought, looking between Smokescreen and Optimus. Their faces really did share several striking similarities...

Before I could ask any questions, the Groundbridge opened.

_:::Optimus, you go on without me. I need to ask Smokescreen something.:::_ I spoke. He looked to me, confused, before nodding his head. He waved the others forward and they all went through the groundbridge. I stopped Smokescreen for a moment, and the bridge closed.

"Hey! Why'd they leave us here?" Smokescreen exclaimed. I held up my 'bracelet' again.

"I've got my own Bridge, kid. Optimus knew that. That's why he closed the bridge. I just need to ask you a few questions, then we can go to the base." I said simply, sitting down on a rock. He waited expectantly.

"Who are your parents? Your creators, whatever you wanna call them?" I asked. He was silent for a moment.

"I don't know. I was pretty much raised by anybody who felt like taking care of me. They all called me Smokescreen, so I've just stuck with the name. One guy, Ironhide, told me that my mom died in Tyger Pax, by Megatron's servo. He told me that right before we were attacked by some 'Cons. And... he died before I could ask who she was, or who my dad was." he answered. Something wrenched in my heart at the name Ironhide, and the fact that he was dead in this continuity too. And, a different spot tightened when I realized I may or may not have proven mine and Maddie's theory correct.

:::Optimus.. what names did you say you and Elita couldn't decide over, for your sparkling?::: I asked through the bond.

:::Sideswipe and Smoke...screen...::: he slowly replied, his mental voice trailing off as he made the same connection I had. I explained my theory to him quickly through the bond. Then the connection abruptly cut off. Seconds later, my commlink went off.

"_Slaggit, femme, what did you just say to Optimus?_" Ratchet demanded.

"Uh, why?" I asked.

_'Whatever you said, you just made him glitch, and he fell on top of Bumblebee!'_ the medic snapped. I could hear familiar giggling in the background, and I couldn't help but laugh myself at the images that created. Soon giggles became full-out rolling-on-the-ground-clutching-my-sides laughter.

"Uh, you okay? And what did he mean 'what did you say to Optimus'? I was standing here the whole time, you didn't say anything.

_'Would you two shut up?'_ Ratchet snapped, probably at me and Maddie.

_'Make me, Hatchet!'_ I heard Maddie taunt as she continued to giggle.

"Maddie, behave for the Medic." I said, gasping for breath as I struggled to control my laughter.

_'Achievement get!'_ I heard her call before the commlink was cut. Wiping a few tears from my eyes, I got up, still gasping for air.

"Hey, can you answer me please? What did he mean 'what did you say to Optimus'?" Smokescreen repeated his question. I looked at him like he was stupid before I remembered he didn't know.

"Oh, right. That's the funny thing.." I mumbled distractedly as I entered in the coordinates for the base in my PGD (Personal Groundbridge Device). "He's my bondmate." I answered as the bridge opened.

"What?!"

* * *

_At the Autobot Base_

"You mean... Optimus is bonded to an organic femme?" Smokescreen asked after the situation was exclaimed.

"Yep. C'est moi." I said for emphasis, gesturing at myself. After explaining to the humans - and Maddie - why I was a freaking giant, I'd proceeded to explain the Optimus-and-I situation. "Is he gonna wake up anytime soon, Doc-Bot?" I called over to the med-bay, where Ratchet was fixing Optimus. He glowered at me, and did not answer. Out of utterly nowhere, a loud wail sounded, reverberating off the walls. It was coming from the makeshift baby monitor.

"Well, time to go take care of my brother." I thought aloud, darting down the hallway. Then I reached a problem; I couldn't fit through the door. But my _arm_ would.

I reached in carefully, picking Carter's blanket up, lifting him with it. He stopped crying the second he saw me, and he stared, confused. It was really a cute expression on his face, that. Once I got him past the door, I set him down in the palm of my unoccupied hand, holding him gently. He was less than the size of my palm. I had to be extra extra careful until I shrunk down again.

* * *

When I re-entered the main room, Optimus was awake and slightly disoriented. I placed Carter in the playpen that Mrs. Darby had brought until she had the house properly set up, and turned to Ratchet and Optimus.

"Two questions." I said bluntly. "One, how do I shrink down again? Two, are you okay?" I asked the first question of Ratchet, and the second of Optimus as I walked over to the berth, sitting next to my bondmate. I held up my finger. "Wait, hold off on that first question for a few hours. I'm finally able to say that I'm the same height as Optimus Prime." I said. There was another silence for a few moments, before Miko spoke up.

"We haven't had somebody new here since Wheeljack!" she said excitedly. She then proceeded to fire off a hundred questions in rapid succession, while Smokescreen just watched her, confused.

"So..these are the life forms we're protecting?" he asked, to confirm. He looked to me. I nodded.

"They're called humans." I explained. Then I held my hand up to my mouth in a stage-whisper. "Don't worry, they're not all as frightening as she is." I pointed a thumb in Miko's direction. "That's Miko Nakadai. Bulkhead's her guardian. Over here is Jack Darby and Raf Esquivel. Arcee is Jack's guardian and Bee watches over Raf." I introduced.

"And...that one?" I followed Smokescreen's finger to Carter's playpen.

"That's Carter. Carter James...Armstrong. He's my brother. I'm his guardian..." I mumbled, my voice going toneless as I sat down on the berth again.

"As Talida explained, and as we are fortunate, all humans are not like her. Though, I do share Miko's fascination with how you came to be on Earth." the medic stated, drawing the attention away from me, for which I was grateful.

"In a Decepticon pod." Arcee added, crossing her arms.

"Still got trust issues, huh? Tough crowd." Smokescreen stated nonchalantly. "The main thrust of combat operations was only twenty kliks from the Hall of Records, so things had been pretty quiet. But the situation went downhill fast.." the young Autobot's optics took on a faraway look as he continued explaining

"The Cons launched a massive siege that knocked out the last lines of defenses surrounding Iacon. I was the only thing left to hold 'em back. And let me tell you, I was...honestly, I was pretty scared. But I was excited, too, y'know? I mean, this was my chance to see real action for the first time! To prove myself!" he took a deep intake.

"But.. it didn't quite go like that. The moment the door blasted out, everything went black. Next thing I knew, I was in Decepticon captivity, on a transport-ship. I managed to give a guard the slip, and hopped in an escape-pod." he let out a humorless chuckle before continuing. "Apparently it was a long-distance pod. It knocked me right into stasis. Then the next thing I knew, I'm hittin' solid ground. Hard."

"The Nemesis must have picked up the pod's beacon, drawing it to Earth." Ratchet theorized.

"Which would explain the welcoming committee." Arcee agreed. She let out a single laugh. "Bet those 'Cons were disappointed not to find one of their own inside." she said amusedly. There was yet another silence, though this one stretched for longer.

"Anna."

I blinked when the silence was torn by Carter's coo. I turned to him. This was not the best time for this, but I didn't care.

"Carter." I replied, a silly smile on my face as I leaned over the loft.

"Anna!" he shouted insistently.

"Carter! What is it, baby brother? I'm right here!" I exclaimed, my silly grin widening. He cooed at me, lifting his arms above his head. I slid him into my palm, standing up again. I wasn't surprised to see everybody looking at me, I just ignored them.

"Smokescreen, do you know the fate of Alpha Trion, after the fall of Iacon?" Optimus asked, coming back to the situation at hand. Smokescreen shook his head.

"I wish I did. But that was the last I ever saw of him." he answered sadly. I felt Optimus' sadness at this.

"Smokescreen, I would suggest that you take some time to become acclimated to your new surroundings." he said.

"A tour of the base would be an excellent start." I added. "I'd volunteer, but even I get lost in this place. Maybe...Jack?" I suggested, looking to the teen down below. He shrugged and nodded.

"Sure thing." he said. Smokescreen looked to the boy, and the corner of his mouth turned up in a half-smile. The two left deeper into the base shortly after.

"Okay, I think I wanna be normal-sized again." I stated, looking to Ratchet. "I CAN do that, right?" I asked Ratchet.

"Of course you can. If you'll just come over here.." he started walking to the med-bay. I nodded at him, but lowered my hand to the loft. Miko picked Carter up easily and began playing with him. Then I went to the med-bay behind Ratchet. I removed my mask at his instruction, and I saw he came out with a transformer-sized syringe, and a bunch of extra cartridges. I almost instinctually flinched away from the needle, but I didn't even feel it, but I DID feel myself shrinking as the amount of Energon my body held lessened. Until, finally, I was normal-sized me. 5'8 tall, human-sized. I grinned as I slipped my mask back on, hurrying back to the loft.

Bulkhead was not in a good mood, as I could see.

"If you wanted to replace me, you should have called Wheeljack!" he griped. "I could've lived with that." he grumbled.

"No-one's replacing our favourite Wrecker, Bulk." I said soothingly as I joined Miko on the railing above his head, while Raf watched Carter. "Besides, Smokescreen still has lots to learn."

"And once you've got him trained, then what? Huh? He's in, and I'm a doorstop!" Bulkhead snapped at me. I recoiled from the Wrecker's anger.

"Like Hannah said, nobody's gonna replace our favourite Wrecker, especially for me." Miko said softly, trying to calm him.

"Bulkhead, your place with us is not in jeopardy, but there is no dispute that we have long required additional firepower. It is essential that our team learns to work with our new recruit, not against him." Optimus said, his face set in a stern frown. I realized that his defensiveness was due to instinct from the spark. It thought his family was being threatened, and reacted. The Autobots were giving him surprised looks, not expecting the quick remark. Optimus let out a heavy breath. "I...have reason to believe that Smokescreen is my...my son." he said, sounding calmer.

"Woah, what?" Miko exclaimed. I decided to take over for this part.

"I asked Smokescreen earlier if he knew who his parents were. He said that he was raised by anybot that decided to look after him, and the first ones that did had called him Smokescreen. He also said that his mom was murdered by Megatron in Tyger Pax, and he didn't know who his dad was. But he was told this by Ironhide, before he was offlined. That matches up with two things Optimus has told me." I looked to him then, waiting for him to continue.

"Elita-1 was offlined in the battle of Tyger Pax, by Megatron. Before that, though, we had a sparkling together. We were going to name the young mech Smokescreen, or Sideswipe. I remember Ironhide knew this, among a few others." Optimus explained.

"Hey everyone, check this out!" Raf called from the computer. We all looked to the screen, where we saw a picture off the internet. Ratchet scoffed, not having seen it yet.

"Oh, don't tell me it's another Bumblebee sighti- Oh my.."

"Red Energon." Optimus confirmed.

"Here? On Earth?" Ratchet asked, his optics wide.

"Um, what's red energon?" Raf asked.

"A rare and volatile form of energon. Refined into fuel, it provides the power of hyperspeed. We have to get Fowler to clear the dig site of humans. I doubt we're the only ones that've seen this." I did more line-stealing. "If Starscream's discovered the internet, he's probably seen this too." I added. Maddie, who was currently asleep on the couch, reacted to his name in her sleep. She muttered it quietly in our home language before rolling over a little bit.

"Now you're talkin'!" I heard Smokescreen cheer as he re-entered the main room. "We gonna scramble up some 'Con circuits tonight?" he asked excitedly.

"Smokescreen, due to your limited field experience, I'm going to have to ask that you do not accompany us on this excursion. I believe further training is required, before you are battle-ready." Optimus spoke firmly. A disappointed look wormed it's way onto the young mech's face, but he nodded his head with a salute.

"Yes sir, I understand." he said.

"Furthermore, we Autobots live on this planet as Robots in Disguise. You will need to obtain an Earth-based vehicle mode." he added on the side.

"In order to maintain a low profile. That's why I've got this, here. Even I'm wearing a disguise." I said, pulling my mask off.

"I still find that unimaginably cool. And hey, if we're talking wheels, bring 'em on!" Smokescreen said enthusiastically.

"Good." I said with a grin, returning my mask to its place. I looked to my bondmate. "Optimus, permission to take Smokescreen to find a vehicle mode?" I asked.

_:::And maybe possibly tell him certain...things? I mean, if you really do think he's your son, like I do.:::_ I added in my head.

"Permission granted, Talida. On both accounts." he answered.

_:::The close proximity of his spark has already begun to strengthen our creator-sparkling bond. I... I have found my youngling.:::_ I could sense the happy shock that those words meant to Optimus, and I was happy at the prospect that I wasn't his only family, and that Maddie's and my theory was proven correct.

"Both accounts?" several people and bots questioned in unison.

"The bond, peoples, remember?" I exclaimed.

* * *

"Uh..nope."

Smokescreen and I were now on the side of the highway, out of sight, trying to find an alt-mode for him.

"Okay... what about that one?" I suggested as a clunky old truck drove by. I'm pretty sure it was the same truck that Fowler got...impatient with, in Convoy.

"Eh, that's more Ratchet's speed, don't ya think?" he said, shaking his head. I giggled and nodded.

"You've got me there, Smokescreen. Hey, what about a...Cement truck?" I questioned, barely hiding a grin when the young mech made a face.

"Uh, yeah, if I was a constructicon. Seriously? Is this the best your planet has to offer?" he muttered. I let out another giggle.

"Not my planet, and no. I'm from...Chaian Kon, I think it's called, and this is just what Jasper has to offer. Wait... Ooh! Smokey, what about that one?" I asked, pointing to the sleek sports-car speeding towards our section of the highway. I saw him smirk, and the green beams shot from his eyes, enveloping the car. It swerved a little bit, it's driver obviously surprised, before it continued on its way. Me and Smokescreen hopped down from our rock, and he transformed.

I let out a low whistle.

"Talida likey, Smokescreen." I said with a grin. I climbed into the driver-seat, and we started driving, just driving, across the desert.

"So, Talida, was there any particular reason you volunteered to take me out here?" Smokescreen asked, obviously wanting to break the silence with simple conversation.

"Well, aside from the fact that you seem pretty cool, yeah. Optimus wants me to tell you a few things."

"I'm, uh, not in any sort of trouble, am I?" the mech asked nervously. I chuckled, shaking my head.

"No, you're not in any trouble. It's actually related to those questions I was asking earlier." I explained, patting the steering-wheel. "So..you don't know anything about who your father is, or your mother?" I asked, my voice going soft and serious.

"Not really, no. Except that Megatron killed her." Smokescreen answered sadly.

"Well...what if I told you.." I trailed off. How the hell was I supposed to say this?_ 'Oh, yeah, Elita-1 is your dead mom, and Optimus Prime is your dad, so I'm your step-mom! Surprise!'_ I thought, rolling my eyes. THAT would not go over well. "What-would-you-do-if-i-told-you-that-Optimus-is-your-dad?" I blurted out quickly. He swerved in surprise, screeching to a halt on the desert path.

"What?!"

Again with the 'What' but I could understand that one this time. He was silent for a few minutes.

"A-are you serious? You're not pulling my tailpipe or anything, right?" His voice was quiet in disbelief. I nodded my head.

"You can ask him yourself if you need to when we get back." Smokescreen started to drive again. Towards base.

* * *

(Maddie POV - Several minutes before)

"Nah!" I hit the floor in front of the couch I was sleeping on. It felt like I was kicked in the stomach.

"Optimus, is something wrong?" I could hear Hatchet talking. I looked to the big bot, and saw that he had frozen in place.

"Optimus?" I asked. Without warning, Optimus' optics went dark and he collapsed, falling on top of a surprised Bumblebee. He let out a long string of bleeps, but Optimus didn't respond.

"He glitched!" Ratchet exclaimed. There was a beat of silence as I processed this, before I began to laugh hysterically as he went over to the computer while Arcee and Bulk tried moving Optimus off Bee, without much results. I heard Hatchet spazzing on Tally through the comms, before he yelled at both of us to shut up while moving Optimus to the medical berth.

"Make me, Hatchet!" I taunted.

_'Maddie, behave for the medic!'_ I heard Tally order through her giggles.

"Achievement get!" I yelled, knowing she'd understand, before Ratchet terminated the link. He then started to grumble about how we were 'worse than the twins'. Whatever that meant.

I hopped off the balcony and decided to wander about base. I had no destination in mind, so I was quite surprised to see that I was in the Relic store. I stopped and examined the spider's 'prison'.

In all honesty, I kind of felt sorry for her. I mean, if some of the fanfictions out there are true at all, Airachnid had a pretty bad life. But what do I know? Other than the rivalry that she and Arcee have, and the fact that she tortured Tailgate to death, along with Primus knows how many others. And then there was that weird, 'thing', she had for heads...

I shivered at the disturbing thought. She was a _Decepticon_, and I - well, uh, am technically an Autobot, or a 'rogue' Decepticon. I shook my head. No, I was NOT a Decepticon. At least, not any more, and not yet.

"Phase shifter, spark-extractor, immobilizer. This is where we store the artifacts we've found buried in the Earth. And talk about a small universe, 'cause most of 'em came from the-"

"The Iacon Hall of Records." Smokescreen finished. "I remember these." I turned to see him looking into where the Phase Shifter was kept. Then he and Jack continued on until Jack, not noticing me, bumped into me.

"Oh, and this is Maddie Wren. She's from the same planet as Talida. Well, on her dad's side. Her mom is human." Jack introduced me. I waved.

"From the same planet, different species." I added. Smokescreen looked to the left, where Airachnid was.

"Woah, what kind of relic is she?" he asked. Jack and I shared a look.

"The kind you don't wanna mess with." we said in unison, before Jack continued walking. I decided to elaborate at Smokescreen's curious look.

"She tried to kill me, and my bondmate. And she's a Decepticon Torture-Expert, among other things. I'm just really glad Hannah wasn't there when she first appeared on this planet."

"Hannah?" Smokescreen repeated.

"I mean, Talida. She was mostly raised as a human, but she's really a water...thing, called a Nanourta. I'm a Petromann." I explained.

"Hey Smokescreen, you comin'?" Jack called from the end of the hallway. Smokescreen looked to me and I waved goodbye at him. He waved back before going to catch up with Jack. I, on the other hand, returned to the main room. I wanted to go back to sleep for a little while.

* * *

(Hannah POV - Present Moment)

"Optimus, is something wrong?"

"_Starscream has come for the Red Energon, and I fear he will not be deterred in his quest_."

These were the first words I heard when Smokescreen and I entered the base.

"Uh-oh. That guy doesn't know when to give up." I muttered.

"Hey!" I heard Maddie yell at me. I shot her a look. Starscream may have been her bondmate, but he was still technically the enemy. She knew that. I could tell by the way she was looking back at me.

"Starscream? I heard stories about that Stiletto-heeled creep back on Cybertron! Send me in, Doc."

I heard Maddie growl dangerously, before she stormed up to me and Smokescreen. Then, without any hesitation, she jumped into the air and landed a solid kick on his metal shin. I winced at the loud clank the metal emitted as it dented.

"Oww!" Smokescreen cried out. I couldn't help but giggle.

"That sounded like it hurt." I said sympathetically.

"When Optimus requires backup, he will ask for it." Ratchet said firmly. I shrugged at him, before removing my mask, opening my PGD, entering the coordinates I saw on the screen of the Groundbrige Operations Monitor, and activating it.

"Talida, no!" Ratchet yelled as I ran through. I closed it instantly behind me.

"The harder you climb, the harder you'll fall!" I heard Starscream yell at Arcee and Bumblebee. I looked at the distance between me and the crane. I was on the top of a sea-can, almost level with the crane.

_'I can make this..'_ I thought, walking to the edge of the sea-can, turning around, and sprinting towards the crane. At the last second, I jumped, landing right on top of the crate of the red stuff.

_/Tally, what do you think you're doing?/_ Bumblebee bleeped at me. Without looking at him, I opened my commlink.

"Ratchet, can I absorb solid energon?" I asked.

_"Don't you even THINK about doing what I know you're about to do, Talida! The risk is too great, you could kill yourself!"_ the medic snapped.

"How?" I demanded.

_"Absorbing red energon for you is like giving a human sparkling one of your human 'Energy-Drinks'. It accelerates your spark-rate, and if it moves too fast it could give out all together."_

"Could, meaning it might not." I insisted, reaching my hand towards the red glowing mass.

_"Talida, No!"_

It was too late, and I felt the energon absorbing into my watery body. But It wasn't long before a familiar hand was picking me up. Arcee. I felt my spark-rate increasing, and the glow emitting from my chest slowly became tinged with red

"What were you thinking?" Arcee demanded of me as Bee shot at Starscream.

"Hahaha! Autobots, such slow learners!" Starscream sneered, obviously having not seen me yet. I wriggled out of Arcee's grasp, honestly feeling like a child hopped up on red-bull. I saw the world around me slowing down, and I giggled gleefully as I danced circles around the frozen Starscream. Then, out of spite for what happened in the first fight with the apex armour, I climbed up said Armor, kicking the glass face shield.

"Screw you. Screw you. Screw you." Each repeat of those two words was punctuated with a harsh kick, but eventually that only made me more sore, and left the smallest of cracks in the armour. Unbelievably irritated, I started adding punches, continuing to repeat my mantra of 'Screw you' over and over again. "I don't care if you're Maddie's bondmate, you're being a douche." I spoke as though he could hear me. By now there was a sizable crack in the face-guard, and I felt the time around me going back to speed, and I hurriedly returned to Arcee's arms. Time returned to it's normal speed, but my spark-rate hadn't slowed. Something told me that was a bad thing. A shadow suddenly loomed over us as Arcee tried reaching the red Energon, and we both looked up, me with heavy eyes.

"Time to unload some more dead weight." he growled gleefully, before his attention was drawn by something he saw. I followed his and Arcee's optics to see Optimus flying towards us, having leaped from the crane parallel to the one we were on. His fist connected with the already damaged face-guard, and it cracked deeper while Starscream fell backwards, the digits of the Apex Armour catching the gating on the side of the crate that held the Red energon, halting his fall. He reached up with his servo, snapping a small amount of the crystal off before he lost his grip.

"No! AAH!" I giggled at his girlish scream as he fell onto more sea-cans below us. Not very many of them were stacked as high as the crate was. Optimus began to pull said crate up, while I was still in Arcee's servos, more light headed than I had been before, when the whole structure wobbled and tipped. We all looked down and saw Starscream there. He cackled madly, and still girlishly, before calling "Watch your step, Autobots!"

I let out a fearful cry as the structure began to fall, jumping from Arcee to Optimus, clambering up until I was situated on his shoulder, holding onto his smokestack tightly.

_"Optimus, de'm r'azo!"_ I whimpered. I now wished I hadn't snuck along like Miko had so often. I felt his comfort flowing through the bond, as well as his worry about my still-accelerated spark-rate, and his anger that I had come in the first place when I was meant to remain at the base with Smokescreen. Speaking of him.. I turned my head to the sound of a Ground Bridge.

Then, I saw Smokescreen drive through in his pretty racecar alt-mode.

"That's your idea of low-profile?" Arcee asked, still holding tightly to the metal beam on the crane. I shrugged at her.

"It was the best we could find that he liked! Shaddup!" I exclaimed.

Starscream dropped the crane, and the sudden tremor cause me to release my grip on Optimus' smokestack, tumbling onto the crane, and rolling off the beam. I let out a fearful scream, but apparently Starscream hadn't heard me.

"So, this is the Autobot's new recrui- AACK!"

Starscream's sentence had been cut off by me landing on his head, making the still-growing crack in the face guard grow even larger. I instantly assured Optimus through our bond that I was okay, before getting to my feet, on Starscream's head, and persistently glaring at him.

"And you must be Starscream." Smokescreen replied coolly, as though I hadn't come at all. Then he gave a half-smirk. "I thought you'd be taller." he taunted.

Starscream looked appalled, before he snarled, plucking me off his head.

"This will not end well." I heard Arcee mutter. I couldn't help but giggle, but Starscream's grip on me tightened warningly, and I growled at him.

"Smokescreen, stand down. You are no match for Starscream's Apex armour." Optimus ordered, though I could hear the undertone of panic in his voice, both from the idea that his son would try to go up against Starscream, and because I was in Starscream's servo. Smokescreen looked up to his father, that smirk still on his face.

_:::Don't worry, dad, I didn't come unprepared.:::_ I heard him speak, though I heard it from Optimus' end of the bond.

"Any last words, Smokescreen?" Starscream sneered, spitting out the last word. I tapped his servo impatiently.

"I do." I growled at him. _"M'ahae no santo m'e."_ I muttered at him. Clearly, Maddie had taught him some of our home language, because as though I had shocked him with an energon-prod, he dropped me from his servo. I rolled to soften my landing, , and stepped away from the two.

"I've got four words for you, Starscream; Kiss Your Armour Goodbye." With that, Smokescreen revealed the phase-shifter, and started charging at Starscream. Starscream was still frozen, had my words affected him that much? Then Smokescreen knocked into the grounded seeker, pushing him out of the armour with him. That seemed to bring Starscream back to his senses as he landed harshly on the ground.

"A phase shifter?" he muttered, surprised.

"Now THAT was a plan!" I called to Smokescreen with a grin. He laughed back as I rushed to him, and I made the 'uppie' motion. Luckily, he got it and picked me up in his servos. I put my hands to either side of my head as the sudden change in height made my head spin even worse. Suddenly, my vision began to blur, and my hearing sounded far away.

"You aren't the only one sporting a fancy wrist-mounted device! Think fast!"

There was a whistling noise as Starscream's missile flew through the air. The explosion from impact was followed closely by blinding red light. When it faded away, I checked the bond with Optimus to make sure he was okay. The area around us was shrouded with smoke, but I knew Starscream was still here.

_"De'se noro M'ahae!"_ I pleaded, knowing he could hear me. "What would she do if she saw you doing this?" I never got a reply, but I knew he had heard me. When the smoke cleared, Smokescreen carried me with him to the Apex armour.

"Hey, Talida, you don't look so good. Are you okay?" he said worriedly, and his voice echoed, as though we were on opposite ends of a tunnel. I shook my head, trying to clear my vision, but it only made everything even blurrier. "Op- I mean, uh, dad! Something's wrong with Talida!" I heard him call. I heard more metal footsteps soon after, and Optimus' Holoform face soon entered my blurry field of vision. I could see him mouthing words, but the sounds didn't reach my ears, just indistinct echoes.

_:::Stay awake, sweetspark.:::_ Optimus urged, and I saw what had to be the groundbridge around us as he all but ran us through it. Then my world went dark.

* * *

(Normal POV - One Minute Earlier)

"What do you mean you can't make me a new mask?" Maddie asked the medic from her spot on the loft couch. Carter was sitting in her lap, completely mesmerised by the blue crystals that made up her body.

"I mean, I can't make you a new mask. It wouldn't be anything like your old one. If anything, it would be some sort of wrist-attachment, or something of the like. It's too complicated to replicate with the primitive technology this planet has to offer." Ratchet explained impatiently. Anybody who had eyes could see he was worried, and he was pacing back and forth. He knew Talida had tried to absorb Red Energon. He only hoped that his fear wasn't blooming to reality. He knew what the red fuel could do to such a small and/or young spark.

_"Ratchet, open the Ground Bridge!"_ Optimus commed urgently. Ratchet did so, and Optimus appeared less than half a second afterwards, setting an unconscious Hannah on the Medical Berth Maddie had previously occupied.

"She tried to absorb and assimilate Red energon." Arcee explained as she and the two younger mechs entered after their not-so-secretly frantic leader.

"Frag!" Maddie exclaimed, setting Carter in Jack's lap. She ran over to her unconscious best friend, practically her sister. "Why did she do that?"

"I warned her of this sort of after-effect!" Ratchet exclaimed, moving his leader off to the side as he began working to keep Hannah's racing spark from stopping. "Fraggit! At this late in the infection," he growled the last word. "There's only one surefire way to keep her alive!"  
He turned to Optimus and gave him a meaningful look.

"You have to merge your spark with hers. Not only will that complete your bond, it will also strengthen her spark." he answered. There was a thick silence, as all the cybertronians, even Maddie, understood the significance of the Sparkbond. Then there was also the possibility of actually BECOMING sparked. But they had no time to waste. Everybody -including the humans- was ushered out of the main room, save for Ratchet, Optimus and Hannah. Optimus did not hesitate in opening his chestplates, and the protective covering over his sparkchamber. (Had Hannah been conscious, she would have been embarrassed to be doing something so intimate with her bondmate, while somebody else was watching. And probably yelling at him to leave.)

His spark slowly hovered out from its casing, and Hannah's did the same, until they reached each other. The two masses of energy swirled together, creating one, before separating back into themselves. The once-red-tinged spark was now a perfect Teal colour. Its rapid beating had slowed to a normal pace now, and Optimus vented a breathless sigh of relief, and his spark returned to it's chamber, while Hannahs' returned to her chest. He sealed his chest-plates, and the others returned to the room.

Miko opened her mouth to ask what happened, but closed it again seeing Optimus' face.

"Why is she still asleep?" Maddie asked quietly.

"She needs to recover. She almost offlined from the strain the Red Energon was putting on her spark. Had we not acted when we did, she most certainly would have been extinguished." Ratchet answered.

* * *

(Hannah POV)

"I told you I just needed to borrow it for a little while, Ratch. Doc here thought I was trying to steal our relics."

"Only until you explained your plan, which I then sanctioned. It's called protocol!" I heard Ratchet snap irritably. I slowly came back to my senses, and I felt Optimus, pretty much right beside me.

"Ratchet is correct, standard procedure must be observed by every member of this team. However, I believe your actions are to be commended, my son. Had you not arrived when you did, we would have been lost. You have proven to be a quick study, by choosing to play strategy above bravado. I am... proud, to call you my son, though you still have much to learn."

I smiled minutely at Optimus' words, at him calling Smokescreen 'my son'. It just seemed so right.

"There's gonna be no living with him now.." I heard Arcee sigh. I forced myself to hold back my giggles. I'm sure with a bit of a push in the right direction, Smokescreen would be completely livable.

"While this may lack the pageantry of a proper Elite-Guard Ceremony, I wish to welcome you to Team Prime."

There was a bout of silence, until a quite mumble of "The Newbie did alright.." from where the Apex Armour was situated.

"Don't worry Bulk, he's got nothin' on you! I mean, for me anyways." Miko called. I peeked open one eye to see Bulkhead's sad expression as he turned and limped away. Miko called more reassuring words to the ex-Wrecker, but he ignored them.

"What happened to him?" Smokescreen asked. He sounded honestly concerned, something not shown in the TV show. Eh, real life's better than the TV version any day.

"He was attacked by a few insecticons, while recovering a highly lethal relic, which was soon after destroyed. He was hit by a cheap-shot moments before entering the Ground Bridge." I heard Maddie answer.

"Talida is awake."

Optimus' sudden statement made the rush of three human footsteps suddenly echo through the hangar. I cracked my eyes open, seeing myself in my human form again, and beyond that, a bunch of colourful blobs that were slowly forming into my human friends. I grinned at them as they slowly came into focus.

"Hey guys." I greeted, but my voice was hoarse and scratchy. How long was I out for?

:::Several hours, my love.::: Optimus answered. Had the bond gotten stronger? I felt like I could hear and sense him better than I could earlier.

"It is very fortunate Optimus managed to bring you back here when he did, Talida. You would have been sent to the Well had we not acted." Ratchet stated, striding over to the loft. I gave him a curious look. "The Red energon was poisoning your spark, and over-stimulating it. I had Optimus merge your sparks together to stabilize yours and cleanse your body of the red energon."

Ah. A Sparkbond. Wait... (realization in three...two...one...) A SPARKBOND?

"Woah...what? I mean, I know what a sparkbond is, and it isn't that I mind, but...WHAT? I mean...What?" I exclaimed. My head wasn't wrapping around it, even if I had the bond to prove it. I heard a familiar giggle before I found myself being hugged by Maddie.

"You were watching the Tenth Doctor again, weren't you?" she asked teasingly. I shrugged at her before hugging her back. What I had said wasn't a lie. I didn't mind the thought of being sparkbonded to Optimus. If ANYTHING, I was elated with this turn of events. It was just a bit of a shock. Then the elation truly set in, and I found myself grinning happily.

"I know of so many fangirls that would kill to have what I have." I whispered in Maddie's ear. She giggled and nodded her agreement. This would take some getting used to, of that I was sure.

* * *

**So, Talida and OP are now sparkbound, SMOKESCREEN'S in Team Prime AND he's Optimus' son! (Well, it was kind of obvious to us that he could be related to OP, head canon things and stuff :P) **

**Also, reviews make us VERY happy and will make our day :)**

**Anyways, le translations:  
Optimus, de'm r'azo = Optimus, I'm scared  
M'ahae no santo m'e = Maddie would be ashamed of you  
De'se noro M'ahae = Think of Maddie!**


	25. Oops

**A/N: Thank you so much my lovelies for waiting on the new chapter UnU I've been really busy doing things in the real life and I just got really caught up in it all.**

**The author note chapter is gone now and this is one is in its place now. My co-writer and I have worked pretty hard to get this shown to you all UuU**

**Enjoy c:**

* * *

Oops

(Optimus POV)

I felt my bonded- no, Spark Mate's emotions through our strengthening bond, and what I found was turmoil. There were many layers of emotions I could now sense. There was utter elation on the surface, and beneath that was shock, pain, and anguish. As well as...guilt, and self-hate. She blamed herself for the death of her human family. I sent her my love and comfort, seeing the gentle smile playing at her face as she socialized with my son. Her... Step-Son, in human terms, now that we were properly bonded.

Ratchet was programming the Holoform technology into Smokescreen's processor, but it didn't require much more than a data-burst with the proper codes and a download of an image.

"You got the download?" Talida asked a few seconds later.

"Loaded and ready to go." Smokescreen confirmed. He transformed into his...ostentatious alternate-mode, and his Holoform exited a few seconds later. I noticed Talida nodding approvingly.

"Talida likey." she said with a grin. I smiled lightly with amusement at the statement. Human or not, she still acted as one of them would. It was refreshing to have her around, in all the seriousness of the war. Suddenly her mirthful expression turned sober, and she looked to me.

_:::I have to do something. I won't be gone long.:::_ she spoke through our bond, opening her Portable Groundbridge Device and activating it several moments later. She ran through the small groundbridge portal, and it disappeared behind her.

"Hey, where'd she go?" Smokescreen asked, shocked. I looked to the computer, checking the monitor where the team's life-signals were displayed, and saw exactly where she was.

"She has returned to her human father's demolished dwelling." I replied to my son's question, feeling her sadness.

* * *

(Maddie's POV)

I glowered at the spot where Talida had disappeared from. She thought she was all that because she could go wherever she wanted whenever she wanted. Bitch. I froze, shaking my head to clear my thoughts. I had NO idea where that had come from.

Then I looked to Smokescreen, my irrational anger gone moments after it appeared. I was actually freaking out inside, just a little bit, for two reasons; One: Smokescreen was Optimus' son! And Two: Optimus and Tally were actually spark-bound now. It was so cool! I was best friend's with the mate of a Prime!

But despite my childish glee, I still felt out of place, as I had before I'd joined the Decepticons. I missed my Sparkmate, and I knew he missed me too. We didn't talk through the bond often, and it was almost painful; the distance and lack of contact was weakening our bond. I needed to see him, and soon, before that invisible thread holding our sparks together snapped in two.

Next I looked to Ratchet, who was currently working on my new disguise.

"Hatch? Can you bridge me to the Harbinger?" I asked, approaching the medic-bot. He raised an optic ridge at me as he turned away from his tiny project.

"And why, pray tell, do you wish to go there at this hour?" he asked boredly. I put a hand over where my spark was.

"I need him. We've been apart too long." I answered as simply as I could. I saw his optics soften -dear Primus, was I seeing compassion in his eyes?- before he set up the bridge and opened it for me. I eagerly ran through it, and I grinned when I saw the familiar shape of the crashed Decepticon ship before me.

"Star?" I called, both aloud and through the bond as I darted into the opening of the hull. I followed the bond, coming to what had once been sleeping quarters. Well, they still were, but...

"Hello Maddie." Starscream greeted, scooping me up in his clawed hands. It was an actual relief to have physical contact with him, after so long. Or, what seemed to be so long. It couldn't have been that long since Talida had taken me to see him. But nevertheless it was a relief, like laying down after running all day, or something like that.

"I missed you." I mumbled as he cradled me to his chassis, right above his sparkchamber.

_::And I you.::_ my love answered through our bond. I smiled softly, curling into him closer. I carefully traced the red insignia in front of me. A smile pulled at my mouth a little.

_::Hatchet's making me a new Holo-generator::_ I looked up in time to see him smirk at the 'nickname' I gave the medic. I could tell he didn't care if I were in human form or my natural form, I would always be Maddie, that crazy organic that turned his world upside down, and that he loved.

_::You're starting to think like a love-struck human.::_ I thought to him teasingly. He responded with a wordless prodding through the bond, and I giggled.

This was how things were supposed to be; happy. But that wouldn't be a permanency until Megatron was destroyed. Starscream frowned at my train of thought, but it continued growing darker when my thoughts turned to Shockwave. Rage boiled in my crystalline body when I thought of the cyclops. He'd destroyed my homeworld, and killed the families of so many, my best friend included.

"Stop... Please." I was surprised to hear Starscream speak aloud, but his face was pained. I sent curiosity through the bond. "I'm not proud of what that slagger did, in the name of 'science'." he explained, his voice a growl. I patted his chestplate soothingly, and he calmed down slightly.

"So...Optimus' son took your Apex Armour..." I mumbled. Not the best choice of a subject change, but then I realized something when I felt his shock; he didn't know that Smokescreen was Optimus' son. "Right...yeah, that happened." I said with a grimace. After explaining the situation to my bondmate, I also accidentally mentioned that Tally almost died when she absorbed the red energon.

And, as bad as it sounds, I was surprised that he felt guilty when I DID mention it. I sent more curiosity his way, and he explained it.

"Talida is the last of her kind, Maddie. I don't want to be the cause of the extinction of a species." he said aloud, but I knew there was more to it; he considered her a friend, as much as he'd never admit it.

"I might be, too. I'm not sure if those who escaped are still alive." I murmured sadly. "Her and I may really be the last of our kinds..."

"Be that as it may, you will never be alone." Starscream promised, running a clawed digit up and down my back. The soothing motion, coupled with the emotions from the bond, sent me into a light doze against my lover's chestplates.

_::Love you...Screamer...::_ was my last coherent thought.

"Don't call me that." He whispered lightly as my eyes closed.

* * *

(Hannah POV)

The stars were out that night, I noticed, when I came through my bridge. I barely took notice of them, though, as my human eyes took in the remains of my childhood home. The entire place was reduced to black and white ash, save for the small remains of the chimney that stood like a lone pillar in the dust.

The local Authorities had the entire area roped off, and I saw that the neighbouring houses on either side also attained slight damage. I crossed under the yellow police-line, and my feet began to crunch over the ashes. Tears pricked my eyes, and my vision wavered. All those memories, both bad and good, gone. Just like that.

_'Because of Megatron!'_ a tiny voice snarled in the back of my head. I wasn't arguing with it, but I didn't have the energy to be angry. All of my energy had been forced into holding up my happy/normal facade. I let said facade drop, and the tears fell with it. My legs shook beneath me as I walked further into the wreckage, stopping when I reached the foundation. It went below the ground a good few feet, and I jumped down into what had once been my room.

I noticed that, by sheer dumb luck, my secret compartment below the floorboards had managed to survive, and I lifted said floorboards (as little of them as there was left) away, and picked up my tiny 'treasure-chest' as I called it. It held some of my most sacred memories. Pictures, notes, journals, anything I never wanted to forget. It was like my own personal Time Capsule.

I hugged the small box to my chest, glad that a small piece of my past was alive, other than my brother. I winced as suddenly a bright light momentarily blinded me. A flashlight.

"What do you think you're doing, snooping around here?" a woman's voice demanded. I couldn't see her face, because the flashlight beam was still directly pointed at my eyes, but I recognized that voice.

"Amanda!" I exclaimed, my voice hitching. "It's me, Hannah!" I choked out, climbing out of the foundation and walking towards her. I hoped she would recognize me. I mean, how could you forget the girl who babysat your daughter for four years?

"Prove it." she growled. Well, shit. She didn't recognize me.

"Your daughter, Amasaya. I babysat her whenever you had to work late since she was two years old. My parents didn't trust you when you first moved in, but you and your now-ex boyfriend Curtis made fast friends with my dad, and we've been friends ever since." I remembered on the spot, tears trailing down my cheeks. Her expression softened, and she pulled me into a hug.

"Oh my god, I was so worried that you were caught in the fire! You can't believe how happy I am to know that you're okay, but... What happened to you? You look..." She trailed off as she looked me head to toe.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." I sighed. "Also, Carter's safe. I got him out before the house collapsed, but Op- er, my friend, didn't let me to back for Crystal, or my dad. The house collapsed a few seconds after I got out." I explained sadly. Amanda hugged me again.

"I'm so sorry.." she said, her hold tightening comfortingly. I hugged her back, wiping my eyes.

"I gotta go, it's not safe." I said, shrugging out of her hug and ducking under the police-line again. I schooled my features into an expressionless mask.

"Not safe? What do you mean not safe?" Amanda demanded. I turned swiftly to look at her, my new body towering over her by a good three or four inches.

"Not safe for you!" I exclaimed angrily. But it wasn't directed at her. "That was no freak explosion, or whatever crap cover story the government came up with. The person who did it was after me and my friend, and my family was collateral damage!" I practically exploded. "The only family I have left is my baby brother! My mom pretty much disowned me, and none of my brothers are within my reach! But that's because I pushed them away, not because I don't love them, but because I'm keeping them safe!"

I didn't know why I was telling her all of this. This was just everything I'd had bottled up since dad died.

"I...I don't understand." Amanda admitted. I sighed heavily.

"There's so many reasons that needs to stay as it is. I couldn't keep my dad safe, but I can keep you safe." I choked out. "This is me...keeping you safe. And...you probably won't see me again."

With that, I turned and ran away. I didn't stop until I was in the cover of the trees in the Gulley, and I quickly bridged myself back to base. I didn't say anything to anybody, I just approached Optimus. He could sense through the bond what I wanted of him, and he was transformed into his alt-mode in seconds, his Holoform materializing moments later.

Without anything to be said, I wrapped my arms around him, revelling in his comforting embrace as I buried my face into the hollow of his neck. And he just held me as I cried, letting out the pain that I'd been bottling up inside my head. I just couldn't stop. And I didn't care.

In a small corner of my mind, I was glad that Ratchet, Smokescreen and Optimus were currently the only ones at base; due to the late hour, the others were with their human guardians. That was good. They didn't need to see the mate of their leader looking so...broken. And Smokescreen understood the pain of losing loved ones. So I cried until I had no more tears to shed, for the last of my true humanity that I'd given up. When you love something, you do whatever it takes to keep it safe, and that was what I was doing.

* * *

"Bulkhead, you really mustn't allow yourself to decline."

I looked up from the book I'd borrowed from June to see Ratchet was talking to Bulkhead.

"Yeah, Bulk! You gotta pull yourself out of this funk!" Miko exclaimed, agreeing with the medic. I stood up, flipping the corner of the page so I didn't lose it, and joined Miko on the railing.

"What's the use?" Bulkhead grumbled.

"The use, is getting yourself back into shape! We all miss our favourite Wrecker around here." I interjected. "Besides, the time will come when-"

"When what? You'll need an assist? Isn't that what the new guy's for?" he retorted. I glared at him lightly.

"New guy or not, that's my Step-Son you're talking about there." I warned. And speak of the devil, that's when he decided to walk in.

"Hey Bulkhead, I was thinking with your recovery still moving, you might wanna take advantage of the Apex Armour I snagged from Starscream, so you can get back in the fight." Smokescreen explained, walking up to the Wrecker with the armour in question in his hands.

"You think I need a crutch?" he yelled, smacking the armour out of his hands, right into the computer monitor below me and Miko. Ratchet went over to examine the damage, and the monitor was flickering between the images it was showing and static.

"BULKHEAD! I needed that!" he yelled angrily. Bulkhead let out an annoyed growl, limping away.

"Out of my way, rookie!" he snapped at Smokescreen, pushing him to the side with his wrecking ball. That was it. This was just unacceptable.

"Bulkhead, hold it right there." I ordered, descending the stairs. He continued to walk. "I gave you an order." I continued, running into his path so he was forced to stop. Wrong foot to stand in front of. If I had stood in front of his injured one, he would have stopped. As it was, he just stepped over me, going to the metal ball he used for exercise.

I frowned at his back. I wasn't giving up on this, no siree! I climbed the metal beam beside the wall, reaching a spot that was perfectly level with the metal ball. I crouched down, tensing my muscles. Then I leaped, flying through the stagnant air in the cave and landing perfectly on top of it. Bulkhead ceased moving.

Turning to face him, I crossed my arms. I wasn't pleased with him, and I wanted him to know that. He waited with an impatient look on his faceplate.

"You need to apologize to Smokescreen." I said. He opened his mouth to speak but I held my hand up. "I'm not done. I'm not defending him because he's my Step-Son, I'm defending him because he's the newest member of the team, and you're being unnecessarily rude." I said. "We, the team as well as the humans, have told you time and time again that Smokescreen isn't replacing you, but you're still being unreasonable and immature about this. He's Optimus SON, Bulk, he obviously means something to us, but you've been a part of this team longer than he has." I reminded him. Behind Bulkhead -moreso to the side- I heard Miko say something.

"Just as we get one back, we lose another..."

I looked back to Bulkhead.

"Remember what I said, alright. Oh, and I won't mention that to Optimus, though you really should have listened to my order." I commented, hopping off the ball.

* * *

"I'm going up top, let me know if Carter wakes up." I called, jogging to the elevator. But just as I was about to , the proximity-sensor went off. I looked to the screen. "Oh, looks like Fowler's here." I stated, promising myself I'd go outside again later.

"Prime. We've got a problem." he stated when he stepped out of the elevator.

"What is it, Fowler?" I asked, walking towards him. I sent a message to Optimus through the bond that Fowler was here, and told him he had something important to tell us. While Fowler waited -which he didn't have to do for long- he went over to the human-sized computer with his briefcase, plugging a flashdrive into the USB port. A video of a security-feed appeared on the larger monitors just as Optimus walked into the room.

"At 1630 hours, a satellite was stolen from a high-security military bolt. Surveillance shows the Decepticon known as Breakdown at the scene."

My blood ran cold as I saw the footage. Breakdown had been killed by Airachnid AGES ago! And then...MECH salvaged his remains. That was also when I'd first met the Autobots in person. I remembered it now. My fingers curled into fists as I remembered this part as well; CYLAS. Then I also remembered that I'd neglected to tell the Autobots about him.

"Oops.." I muttered to myself.

"It looks like Breakdown entered the base in vehicle-mode, with someone behind the wheel." Fowler continued.

"A holoform?" Jack suggested. I shook my head.

"No, this isn't a holoform. I can't believe I forgot about this!" I yelled, upset with myself. I couldn't seem to do anything right involving the series recently. I looked to the Autobots. "Breakdown's dead. Maddie and I both saw his frame -or what was left of it- when we were in MECH captivity. And I've been looking into local so-called accidents, trying to find MECH's hideout when I saw this." I held up a picture of the ruins of what used to be some government-owned warehouse. "An explosion without a cause, the bodies were burned beyond recognition, but they found a beyond-advanced life-support system in what was left of this place. I think this was MECH's base, and I think I know what they did to Silas and Breakdown." I explained severely.

"I think I'm following this. The stolen satellite was Project Damocles." Fowler interjected. I looked over to him. I'd also tried looking into that, with Raf's help. Well, before he got grounded.

"Invented by Silas." Optimus said, and I could hear his tone; this was one human he truly disliked, with good reason.

"I guess the former Colonel Bishop wanted it back." Fowler said.

"That means big, big problems. If MECH - or at least Silas- is now aligned with the Decepticons, and they have Damocles, everybody's in danger. It's dramatic to say that I mean everybody on the planet, but it's true." I said, going to the file Raf and I'd found on Damocles.

"Hold on, Talida. What exactly IS Damocles?" Arcee asked.

"It's a particle beam cannon. So powerful that it could, if it knew where we were, slice up this base like the rock was warm butter." I said without looking at her. "It's the work of a madman." I added for emphasis. Fowler gave me a weird look after I explained what the project was.

"And in Megatron's hands... It really is a threat to anyone, anywhere in the world." Jack realized.

"They may have the satellite, but they won't be able to use it without the interface codes. The only copy is stored in a secure server at headquarters in Colorado." I spoke to reassure the teen.

"We must keep the code out of Decepticon hands at all costs." Optimus said severely. He turned to the GroundBridge, and Bulkhead clapped his fists together.

"Alright, it's roll-time!" he exclaimed.

"Bulkhead, you aren't ready to 'roll' yet, as you have not been cleared for active duty." Ratchet exclaimed. Bulkhead growled in frustration. I could tell that ruined his whole mood all over again. I froze as I remembered something else. SOUNDWAVE!

"Optimus, can I borrow some of the energon? I need to do something important, and it calls for a bit of a size-boost!" I called, running to the energon store-room. I felt Optimus' curiosity.

_:::It's important, my love. Trust me.:::_ I urged.

"Permission granted." was all he said.

"Great, thanks!" I called, reaching towards two energon-cubes in front of me as I pulled off my mask. I absorbed their contents, but I needed to move fast. Four more cubes later, I was Optimus-Sized, and my PGD adapted to the new size. I entered in the coordinates from the monitor and ran through. I was beyond shocked when Soundwave didn't notice me appear, but that would soon change.

I ran towards him, and as he reached the human base, more particularly the roof above where the Computer servers were, I tackled him away. Forming my right arm from the elbow down into a sharp blade, I pressed it against the 'Con's neck-cables. I formed the other one onto a longer but thinner arm and held his tentacle-like appendages down with it.

"I don't want to hurt you, Soundwave. But I will if you don't leave, right now." I said. I heard blaster fire erupt from the other side of the building; my team was here. Soundwave took the opportunity of my distraction to flip my transparent body off of him. Next thing I knew, two Drones were beside him, aiming their blasters at me.

_"I don't want to hurt you-but I will if you don't leave-"_

That voiceless fragger was using my own words against me now! How the hell was that fair at all? Then again, this was a Decepticon I was talking about, here. And this Decepticon in particular used to be one of my favourites, because he kicked Airachnid's aft.

"Do you KNOW who you're threatening?" I asked with a mouthless smirk. That was quickly answered, when another voice clip of mine played.

_"I'm dating an Autobot-Optimus Prime-"_ Then it switched to what sounded like Megatron's voice. "_So, my brother has found himself another sparkmate."_

"Well, shit. Looks like you do know." I said casually. Then I did a backwards somersault, stopping on the balls of my feet. Before either of the drones could react, I was sprinting towards the Autobots. The bots continued the firefight for at least a few more minutes, and I was ordered to stay in cover. Then I saw a glowing light in the sky. Damn, Soundwave worked fast.

I looked to where the beam was headed. Smokescreen. I didn't think. I just started running again, towards him. The Drones were gone, now, save for the one Smokescreen was beating to a pulp.

"Smokescreen!" I called to him as I ran closer, but Optimus grabbed my hand. When his son looked to me, I pointed to the sky. The beam was really close now, and Smokescreen backflipped out of the way, just in time.

"Woah!"

I looked to the sky again when the beam faded.

"It's coming around again!" I called.

"Fall back!" Optimus ordered. I opened my commlink as the beam hit the ground behind us.

"Ratchet, we need backup! Can you remotely disable Project Damocles under Fowler's advisement?" I asked urgently as we ran from the burning beam.

_'On a human-based computer system, without my backup? Without Rafael?'_ he replied, shocked.

"Raf can help too! But he's grounded, so the humans'll have to bridge to his place." I decided with agreement from Optimus.

_'Understood. Base out.'_

_:::Talida, Bridge yourself back to base, and go with them. The others and I must buy them time:::_

_:::I can't just...okay, love.:::_ I pressed the button on my PGD that was always set for base-coordinates, running through moments later. I saw that the kids and Fowler were already gone, leaving Doc Bot and Bulkhead behind to keep an optic on the rest of the team. Bulkhead was pacing impatiently. He stopped.

He turned to the medic. "Ratchet, you gotta send me in." He pleaded.

"So you can be an even easier target?!" He snapped. I watched him face the Wrecker. "You have yet to regain your full range of motion yet!" Bulkhead wasn't deterred by this.

"But_ Breakdown's_ back! He's my arch enemy, come on! Even the kids and Tally are in on the action!" he exclaimed.

"All the kids but my kid brother, and didn't I say earlier that Breakdown's dead? I SAW him, Bulk, with my own two eyes. He's gone, and Cylas took his place!" I snapped, worried for my sparkmate. I wasn't planning on returning the energon any time soon. I needed my size boost in a few minutes, Optimus' orders aside.

Ratchet let out some annoyed cross between a sigh and a growl out of his vocalizer before speaking.

"Very well, Bulkhead. You are cleared for duty." he grumbled. Bulkhead cheered a 'YES!' and I sent the medic a look to the back of his head. He raised a digit. "A duty of my choosing." he added. Bulkhead scratched his head confusedly. While Ratchet proceeded to explain the situation, I pulled out a modified data-pad from my pocket, tapping into the camera/monitor I had installed in my quarters, so I could check on Carter whenever I needed to. I vaguely recalled that Raf was -or soon would be- saying "I don't care if you were trained by a ninja!" to Fowler, and I giggled as I opened a visual link and slipped my mask on.

Carter was happily playing with the toys June had brought in to keep him occupied until she could get her house properly set up, but his head turned to me when the monitor turned on in the room. He let out a happy squeal, crawling right up to the monitor.

"Hey there, you little stinker." I cooed affectionately, knowing he saw me. He gave me a four-toothed grin and raised his hands in an 'uppie' gesture. I smiled apologetically. "Sorry, little man. I'm not actually in the room with you. Ratchet would probably give you this huge explanation, but you can't really understand it right now." I sighed. He was giving me the adorable but blank look that told me he didn't understand a word I was saying.

"Dada?"

I shook my head at the screen, the fact that he was asking for our dad making tears prick in my eyes.

"Sorry, Carter. Daddy's not here anymore." I said softly. "I have to go now. Cylas needs to get his aft kicked once and for all, so I'll see you in a little while, I promise."

"Anna!" he exclaimed, waving his hand. I blinked. I guess he partly understood what I'd been saying. I cut the visual link.

"Ratch, I need the coordinates to Raf's street, ASAP!" I exclaimed, slipping into 'Autobot Mode' again. "Don't ask, just give me the coordinates!" I snapped, my momentary panic making the request an order. He didn't take offense. He knew that whatever reason I needed them for was important, so he opened the main groundbridge and I sprinted through.

Half a second was all it took to assess the situation; Cylas was in vehicle mode, and his cannon (that ONCE belonged to BREAKDOWN) was aimed at Raf's house.

"Oh no you don't!" I growled, running straight into his side and tipping him over. I heard screeching tires from behind me and jumped out of the way as Bulkhead continued what I'd started. I put a finger to my ear to open the commlink.

"Good call on curbside duty, Ratch." I commented. I ran behind Bulk as he drove Cylas into some sort of ditch at the end of the street, where they both transformed. I scowled as I saw Cylas' gaze go from me to Bulkhead, and I joined the partially-crippled Wrecker down at the bottom of the trench/ditch/mini-canyon.

"The game's over, Cylas." I said, and I was secretly surprised at how much much my tone of voice sounded like Optimus' commanding one.

"Ah, the little alien's not so little anymore. Talida, wasn't it?" Cylas replied, conversationally.

"Damn straight, you fucker." I growled, my anger of what he had done to not only Breakdown, but Maddie and myself leaking into my tone. "This ends now!" I wasn't stupid enough to charge at him, but I threw my hands up in front of my face, balled into tight fists.

"As you wish." he said in a resigned tone, transforming his hand into Breakdown's hammer and charging at Bulkhead and myself. Bulkhead made his hand into a wrecking ball and switched his position so he could take a swing at the mech. Cylas swung Breakdown's hammer, and I moved to jump out of the way when a sudden pain flashed through my head, disabling my ability to move for a split-second. But by then it was too late. The hammer collided with my side and I went flying. I impacted harshly with the sloped ground behind Bulkhead, and I saw stars when the side of my head connected with the ground.

I'd forgotten how vulnerable my human body was to injury.

"Talida!"

"S'okay, Bulk.." I said, my words slurring together, but only barely. I struggled to lift my hand to my commlink, and I found I couldn't move my right arm very much. Shit. I looked to my left wrist. Wheeljack really had thought of everything, I remembered, noticing the button that would set off a distress beacon to the base. I saw Bulkhead's large -but still smaller than my current size- form hurling towards me, and I rolled out of the way, making pain explode across my entire right side, and a portion of my stomach.

My vision was now a bit blurry, a side-effect from the pain, I'd guess. That was another thing my body liked to do to me, as I'd discovered at the age of ten when I'd tipped my chair over backwards while watching TV and gave myself a mild concussion. I couldn't see straight for twenty minutes afterwards. That was exactly what this was like. I could see clearly enough to reach my arm to my PGD, ignoring the pain, and pressing the 'Emergency Button' as Wheeljack had dubbed it in his explanation.

I watched with hazy eyes as Cylas assessed Bulkhead's form and performance, but I couldn't make out the words. I knew what they were saying, though. I forced myself not to make any noise when I saw a Groundbridge open up some distance away, and Smokescreen came out of it, driving at breakneck speeds. My vision cleared, and I saw Cylas was going in for the kill just as Smokescreen reached him, delivering a flying kick to his chassis. My vision and hearing finally cleared up, but I couldn't very well move my right side much.

"Assist, what the new guy's for." I heard Smokescreen say, his tone easygoing. I saw Cylas approaching them, and so did they.

"One new guy to another," Cylas paused to dramatically crack his neck. "This is your final day on the job!"

I acted without thinking, the defensive instincts in my spark flaring wildly. I'd call it motherly instinct, but it wasn't quite like that. Ignoring the pain, I sprinted up to the mechs, tackling Cylas from behind.

"Leave him out of this!" I snarled as we fell. I noticed more than felt when he threw me off, to be honest.

"Talida, leave this Frankenstein to us, and bridge yourself back to base!" Smokescreen urged. Reluctantly, I followed his advice, and the adrenaline faded from my system as I retreated through the bridge.

Ratchet was ready and waiting with a scolding that secretly said I-was-worried-for-you-you-idiot but said out loud that what I'd done was foolish and that I should have followed Optimus' order to go with the kids. He also proceeded to explain that I'd have to keep my mask off for a while while the holographic code repaired itself It had sustained a lot of damage from getting hit with Breakdown's hammer. Like, if I was an actual human -Optimus Sized or not- I would have died from internal bleeding due to pretty much my whole right side of my body being crushed by Breakdown's hammer. I still adamantly refused to think of it as Cylas'.

Alternatively, I could take my mask off for a few days. I could deal with that.

At this point, I either wanted to spend time with Optimus, Carter, or Smokescreen. Technically, they were my only family left. The humans had raised me, that was true, but the ones that cared were gone now.

The Autobots were my family. Every Autobot fangirl's dream come true. But it wasn't all fun and games, if the crack on the right side of my mask - and the fact that I couldn't wear it for another two days while it repaired itself - was any indication. This was serious, and I hadn't considered that before I'd actually met them.

But then there was also Maddie. Speaking of her...

"I'm gonna go get Maddie from the Harbinger. " I said, proceeding to use my PGD once again. It only required a miniscule amount of energon, something my body made naturally like a human's body naturally made blood cells. Lucky me, huh?

* * *

"_M'ahae_, I'm here!" I called when I entered the Harbinger. When I reached the room I figured she and Starscream would be in, I saw something that actually looked rather cute. Starscream was in recharge, with Maddie asleep on his chest. Slowly, I went to tiptoe back out of the room. I felt Optimus through the bond; he was wondering where I was.

_:::I was going to pick up Maddie, but she's already asleep. Surely it won't hurt to let her stay the night with her sparkmate, right?:::_ I asked, hopeful on my friend's behalf.

_:::I see no problem with that arrangement, my love.:::_ he answered. I felt those cheesy warm-and-fuzzies in my stomach when he called me 'my love', like all the hopeless romantics did in books._ :::Your brother is awake. I have him with me in the main console room.:::_

I stopped at the mental image of Optimus' holoform holding a baby, more specifically my baby brother. The image was so wrong, but so right at the same time.

_:::I'm on my way back now, my love.:::_ It was so amazing, to have somebody both to call me that and to call that. Even if most people I used to know thought he was fictional.

"Anna!" I was brought back to reality by my brother's recognizing cry. The mental image I'd concocted had now come to fruition; Optimus' holoform was sitting on the human couch with Jack and Miko, with Carter in his lap. Again, so wrong and so right.

"Hello, Carter James." I singsonged as I dashed up the stairs at non-human speeds, scooping him up in my blue arms. He squealed, always marvelling at the texture and appearance of my true skin. I rubbed my 'nose' against his, making him giggle at me, and his laughter was infectious. He let out a string of senseless babbling as his little hands grabbed at my thick strands of 'hair', but his hands continued to slip off them.

"I still can't believe that you and the other 'Bots have human forms!" Miko enthused, utterly enraptured by the fact Optimus could go human-sized.

"I think you've almost got me beat in the excitement factor." I commented, sitting on the floor in front of the couch. Carted squirmed in my arms, standing himself up and turning to Optimus. He made another 'uppie' gesture, bouncing without actually lifting his feet from the ground.

"Oppah!" Once again, I froze in shock. Carter had known the 'bots for a matter of days, at the most a few weeks, and he was already recognizing Optimus. I saw Optimus' eyes smile, though his face stayed neutral, as he picked my little brother up. I couldn't suppress a giggle as another funny thought hit my head. Everybody currently in the main room gave me funny looks.

"I was just thinking, since in human terms Optimus and I would be considered married, that would make Carter.." I snorted as I tried holding back my giggles. "It would make Carter his Brother In-law!" I cried out, muffling my giggles with my hands. Jack and Miko understood, and they started laughing too, but the bots were more than a little confused. I left Jack and Miko to explain it to them, as they were preparing to go home with their guardians anyways, and I took Jack's spot on the human couch.

I stretched in an almost catlike manner as I yawned, leaning my head on Optimus' human shoulder. I watched with half-lidded eyes as Optimus held my brother, who was trying to use him as a personal jungle gym. I felt like I could just sit here and watch them forever, the moment was so peaceful. I was amazed when, several minutes later, Carter fell asleep laying against Optimus' chest. The only people he ever fell asleep with had been Crystal, dad, and occasionally me. I wrapped my arms around them in a hug.

"Have I ever told you that I love you?" I murmured as he wrapped one arm around me and I curled into his side. He chuckled lightly, and I felt his own amusement and love through the bond.

"I believe you have. I love you too." he said amusedly, his consciousness embracing mine through the bond.

It was so much easier to say it, definitely moreso than the first time we said it. And unfortunately, as content as I would be to just sit there with Optimus for all eternity, I had to go put Carter in his bed. Sighing, I stood up from the couch, ready to shift Carter from Optimus' arms to mine, when that same flash of pain from earlier struck again. I winced, putting a hand to the side of my head.

"Ow.." I mumbled quietly, though Optimus and Ratchet heard it. But just like earlier, the pain was gone just as quick as it had come.

"Are you alright?" Optimus asked as I snapped out of it, gently picking Carter up.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I reassured him. "I gotta go put him in bed now, I'll be back in a sec." I added quietly as I started to move over to where our room was. It wasn't really that far from the main room, which was nice.

I opened the door to our room.

It was plain. No paint or anything on the walls since I hadn't had time to decorate much. I gently laid Carter down on the bed. He stirred a little as I placed some of his blankets on him, but stayed asleep.

I kissed his forehead, before setting up the small railing on the edge of the bed so he wouldn't roll over the edge. I turned out the lights and left, shutting the door as quietly as I could to avoid waking him by accident.

I went back into the main room and I was greeted by Optimus standing at the console. I could see that he was continuing his work at decoding the Iacon database. As much time as I wanted to spend just sitting around and talking with him, I knew how important the database was, so I left him to his work, sitting on the couch as I pulled out the Data-Pad Optimus had given me. Given the ridiculous amount of memory-space it had, I'd recently added some pictures I'd taken around the base, to go along with the ones of my Nanourtian family.

As I sifted through the pictures, I stopped at one in particular; it was me. But...baby-me. I was sitting in Optimus' hand, and from the camera positioning...he'd taken it himself. With his optics. I looked so tiny in the palm of his hand, but I couldn't deny the innocent joy I saw in my own expression, looking directly at Optimus' face.

I moved on to the next file. Another picture. It made my breath hitch, for a few moments. It was my sister, holding me when I was a newborn. Her young, pink eyes were so happy and excited. I ran my fingers over the screen on her face.

_'I miss you, Lori.'_ I thought. _'I miss our mommy and our daddy too...'_ I looked to Optimus. Though he was deeply absorbed in his work, I could tell he was also partially hearing my thoughts. 'I'd join you if I could, and I know I will someday, but...' I sighed, flicking off the data-pad._ 'I've got a job to do right now.'_ Gently, I dampened the bond before finishing the thought.

_'And that job consists of keeping my sparkmate alive.'_

* * *

**So, yeah. I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I hope to see you all again in two weeks ^_^**


	26. Race

**A/N: Hello all of my amazing, wonderful, beautiful reader! I'm _very_ sorry that I took so long to get the new chapter up. I had real life and school getting in the way and I started an RP blog on tumblr and such.**

**So, without further ado-**

**Enjoy ^^**

* * *

Race

Soundwave was typing furiously on the console he was working at, still chipping away at deciding the Iacon database. It was slow and tedious work, but he was almost done with one of the entries.

With a final touch of one of the keys, a map appeared on the monitor he was working with, pinpointing the location of the newest relic. He pinged for Megatron instantly, he soon appeared by his side.

He stared at the screen for a moment. "Good work, Soundwave. Prepare a course to the location immediately." He both praised and ordered the spy. Soundwave set to work with the new course as Megatron was ordering some drones to do something or other.

As soon as he was finished, Megatron approached the third in command. "And for this-" He held something in his servo. It was the empty relic capsule from when they first found the Spark-Extractor.

"We're going to need the Autobots distracted for this."

* * *

"Alright; again. What does the green light mean?" Jack asked Smokescreen.

"Green means go." The indie racer continued through the crossroad.

"Nice!" Maddie complemented. Ratchet finished the makeshift holoform for Maddie yesterday, and she desperately wanted to get out of base, ecstatic that she wasn't trapped in the silo anymore. She looked at the yellow light. "And yellow means..?"

"Yellow means go faster!" With that, the racer sped past the light and was about to go through a red light.

"Uh.. Smokescreen?" The bot suddenly hit a tire-screeching stop, right in front of the crosswalk.

Maddie frowned at the newbie. Smokescreen laughed a little. "Relax, Mads. I know what red means."

Maddie was still frowning. "Just don't - Don't do that again, please." Jack requested.

Maddie could hear loud music in the distance behind them. She knew who it was. She glanced to the side-mirror on Jack's side of the car.

"Uh.. Jack?" Maddie pointed over to the left as a fancy-looking red car with flames on the doors rolled up to them.

Jack sunk into the seat, rolling up the open window.

"Hey. What's going on?" Smokescreen asked, confused about the situation.

Maddie could see through the tinted windows and into the open ones of Vince's car. "Crap..." She muttered under her breath.

The red-haired teenager turned his head in their direction. Jack was looking nervous as Vince said something to him.

Jack just sat there, trying to hid his face. At that moment, Vince threw the burger he was eating at Jack, hitting the window, and drove off cackling at what he did.

Maddie threw a slur of all the curse words she knew at the jerk.

"Who was that?" Smokescreen asked. "And what'd he throw on my window?"

Jack was facepalming as the Bot continued to drive. Maddie sighed.

"That was Vince. A bully from Jack's school." Maddie explained the bot. Jack still looked scared. "He's just a big jerk that hurts others to make himself feel bigger." she added, more to the older boy than to Smokescreen.

"And you guys are gonna let him get away with that?" he practically demanded. Jack and Maddie looked to each other and shrugged. "Are you two kiddin' me? Where's your self-respect? We gotta stand up for ourselves!"

"That's not how it exactly works, Smokey. I know from experience." Maddie sighed.

"She's right. We also have to follow Optimus' rule. It's not just about protecting humans, you can't harm them either." Jack added.

"Who said anything about _harming?_" Smokescreen asked, his tone mischievous. The smirk was evident in his voice. Maddie suddenly grinned, remembering this particular part.

* * *

As his passengers exited inside the base, Smokescreen burst out laughing, as did they.

"I am SO posting this tonight!" Jack snickered, looking at the picture he had on his phone screen. This drew the attention of Ratchet, Arcee, and Bee, the only other bots currently in the base.

"/What's so funny?/" Bee bleeped. Maddie, who'd also taken a picture, beckoned Bee over.

"Arcee, Arcee, look at Vince's car!" Jack exclaimed, holding out his phone to his partner. Both he and Maddie were nearly crying laughing.

"The bully?" she asked for confirmation as she knelt down. When she looked at the picture for a few seconds, her jaw figuratively dropped, while Bee let out the equivalent of a snicker. Jack cracked a 'would you like some fries with that?' and the trio started laughing again. Arcee was clearly not as amused.

"So let me get this straight; you two taught Smokescreen everything he didn't need to know about fast-food?" she asked incredulously. Maddie shrugged.

"He passed Drivers' Ed." she defended.

"Work hard, play hard." Jack added.

"No humans were harmed in the making of these photos, honest!" Suddenly, Smokescreen paused. "Hey, where's dad and Talida?" he asked. It was still odd, even for him, to hear Optimus referred to as 'Dad'. Arcee's face fell, only slightly.

"Her human family's funeral." she answered.

"What? What happened?" he asked. Everyone in the base grew silent.

"She went to visit her family and they were killed, by the Decepticons." It was Maddie who spoke. "That's why her brother's here, she saved him from the fire after their house was shot by a missile. It's been almost two months since it happened, and his birthday is coming soon." she added. Smokescreen looked sad as he listened. He was still a fresh bot, and he had yet to know about how terrible the Decepticons really were.

"I'm sorry." He apologised, door wings drooping the tiniest bit. "I didn't know that happened to her..." Arcee and Ratchet looked to the racer.

"There's no need to be sorry." The medic reassured gruffly. "It happened before you arrived."

Smokescreen still looked sad.

At that moment, Optimus arrived to the base in his alt mode, transforming as he entered. He looked sad, even though his face showed no emotion. It was in his optics, he was pained.

He looked to Smokescreen. "What did you do with Madeleine and Jack while I was gone?" His question sounded like an accusation.

Smokescreen jumped slightly at the question. "Uh.." He stammered. Optimus gave him a look, while listening to the explanation over the creator bond. "I was only having fun Sir." The newbie replied to the silent transition. He and Optimus stared at each other for a moment. Smokescreen's wings drooped some. "Alright, dad." He walked away to somewhere else in the base, Maddie and Jack tailing him, and bombarding the bot with questions at what just happened.

"What just happened?" Arcee asked her leader.

"Smokescreen is to remain on the base for the next cycle," Optimus replied, moving to a monitor and began typing.

"Optimus, where is Talida?" Ratchet asked him.

"She is fine. Talida has decided to stay behind and mourn for her family."

Ratchet looked away. "I see."

A blip on the monitor Optimus was at signaled the discovery of a new relic. He turned to the others that were there. "We are going to need all those available for obtaining the relic, as the Decepticons may already be there."

Arcee looked at him. "What about Smokescreen?"

"He still lacks proper training. He shall stay here for the time being."

Ratchet powered up the Ground Bridge, and the three of them walked through, the Bridge closing behind them automatically.

* * *

Vehicon miners were working away busily at the face of a mountain. The were searching for something, but none of them knew what, they were just ordered to start digging at the coordinates when they were given the detail several hours before. With them was a few 'regular' Vehicons and some Eradicons for protection. Seemingly the only indication that they were looking for was incredible important.

One miner yelled something in their native language. They found something. One of the Eradicons shoved aside the miner. It took the bot a second to look at what they found. The flier turned around, putting a servo close to his face.

"Lord Megatron, we found what you were looking for."

"Excellent. I will be arriving shortly to collect you have found shortly."

"Hail Megatron."

* * *

After Smokescreen had finished sulking, he, Maddie, and Jack went back to the main room. Jack looked to the TV, while Maddie and Smokescreen went over to one of the monitors.

"Anyone up for a few games?" Jack offered, holding up a couple of PS3 controllers.

"I am!" Maddie jumped over to the TV area, taking one of the controllers from Jack's hand in the process. She landed in the couch.

Jack looked to Smokescreen. "Wanna watch?"

"..Sure." The indie racer grinned and sat behind them. Jack started up the game console and turn on the old TV.

They didn't play for that long, as the one of the monitors lit up and made a sound, notifying them that a new Relic had been uncovered.

"A new Relic?" Smokescreen absentmindedly asked when he approached the console, tapping a few commands as he did so. A set of coordinates appeared next to the location of the Relic.

Ratchet poked his head out of the med-bay. "What?" He strode out and went to the computer. Smokescreen was right. A new relic had been uncovered. Only there was a problem; the team wasn't responding to their comms.

"_Ratchet, what's going on? What's with the comms?"_ Talida's voice came over the speakers.

"Talida, our sensors detected a second Iacon locator beacon, but I can't reach Optimus or the others."

There was silence over the comms.

"_...I'll go."_

"Alone?" Ratchet demanded.

"_No, of course not. I can take Smokescreen and Maddie with me."_ she said, as though the answer was obvious. Ratchet thought on this, looking to the two in question, both of whom looked ecstatic at the offer. He let out a huff.

"And what about your brother?" he asked.

"_...June picked him up after the funeral. She finally got everything set up for him."_

"I see... Very well, bridge yourself back here and I will send the three of you to the coordinates." Ratchet sighed.

"_Gotcha."_

* * *

"I just pulled a Miko..." Jack sighed as he, Maddie and Talida walked through the bridge, Smokescreen behind them. Talida was -at this point- just barely taller than Smokescreen, as Ratchet had suggested she make herself the size of a cybertronian for this particular...mission. Maddie and Talida grinned at each other at Jack's statement, and in unison said;

"Join the club." with a laugh.

"Let's go grab our relic." Smokescreen exclaimed quietly. He and Talida took point, and Jack and Maddie followed close behind them. They took cover behind a bunch of large boulders to scope out the situation. There was a good many eradicons and vehicons, seemingly guarding a stone. Maddie and Talida eyed it closer and saw a shiny metallic glint in one spot.

"The relic's stuck in the rock. Of course." Maddie murmured, amused.

"It's a sword." Jack observed.

"Not just any sword...that looks like the Star Sabre." Smokescreen said severely. Maddie turned to look at the bot, knowing the significance of said sword.

"A legendary weapon forged by Solus Prime." she added. "Its rumored to wield the power of the Matrix, like the Matrix Optimus had in his chest."

Smokescreen looked at the Sabre stuck in the rock for a few seconds, and a smirk slid onto his faceplates. "I'm gonna make Optimus proud." he stated.

"Not a good idea, Smoke. There was some stuff I learned when Optimus and I merged sparks, and one of the things in his memories that I recall was that it only responds to the hand of a Prime. You may be next in line hereditarily, but you're not a Prime yet." Talida dissuaded him.

"That," Jack started.

"And Megatron's here." he and Maddie said. The company looked to where Megatron was giving out orders, and the drones were obeying.

"Dark Lord himself..." Smokescreen muttered. His confidence returned in a split-second. "He won't know what hit 'em."

"Do I just have a face that nobody listens to? You _can't._You're not a Prime, the sword won't react to you." Talida insisted.

"Seriously, we need to wait for backup."

Smokescreen frowned. "You heard Ratchet," he said. "Backup's not available right now." With that, he jumped away from the rocks. Talida sighed, putting a hand to her face. She looked to Maddie and Jack, taking her mask off. It shrunk down the moment she did, as she reverted to her natural form.

"Watch after this, will you? And stay safe." she said softly. "Maddie, stay with Jack." she added. "He may need your help if you're spotted." And with that, she was off running after her step-son.

* * *

(Maddie POV)

I watched as my friend ran off, slightly envious. She was gonna fight, and I was gonna be stuck here watching _Jack?_ If she thought she was all that just because she was Optimus' sparkmate... I frowned, shaking my head again. I didn't know where these dark, vengeful thoughts were coming from. Was it because of the dark energon that was in my system? I couldn't be sure.

"Enough!"

I was brought from my thoughts at Megatron's echoing yell.

"Commence transport!" he ordered. I looked up to the Nemesis in the sky, watching as a dark claw-like attachment dropped down, attaching itself to the rock that the Star Sabre was trapped in. The cable that connected to the claw went taut as they began lifting the stone, and that was when the blasterfire began. I looked to my left, seeing Smokescreen and Talida attacking the drones.

"Who in the pits of Kaon are _they?!"_ Megatron demanded. I giggled behind my hand at that. I felt panic grip my spark though, when Smokescreen tried going for the sabre with no results.

'_Like Tally said, dum-dum!'_ I thought, in some corner of my mind. I winced when he took a shot to the back, falling to the ground. The drones surrounded him.

"No, this can't be happening..." Jack whispered beside me. Where the everloving shit was Talida?! Oh, wait... Same situation, just a couple dozen feet to the left of him. Jack pulled out his phone and commed the base with it.

"Ratch, you gotta get Optimus here now! Smokescreen went for the relic, it's the Star Sabe-" He stopped as we heard large footsteps behind us, and froze. An insecticon. Fuck.

And then more running.

"_Where in the name of cybertron are you?" _Ratchet asked. Then I remembered Jack wasn't supposed to be there with us, originally. The insecticon roared behind us,

"_And did you say Star Sabe? Oh my-"_ then we hung up. There was even more ducking, dodging and rolling as a second insecticon joined the chase. I let out an exasperated groan. Couldn't they just piss off and leave us alone?

* * *

(Talida POV)

"Bring them to me." I tensed at Megatron's voice, as Smokescreen and I were dragged to him. I struggled as much as I could, but Smokescreen just glared. I winced at the dual pain when the two of us were thrown roughly on the ground in front of the Decepticon leader.

"What is your name, Autobot?" Megatron asked. Smokescreen gritted his denta, glaring at him.

"Leave him alone, Megatron." I hissed. His glare shifted to me, before he smirked.

"The last Nanourtian, mate of a Prime." he sneered. His sword slid out of it's casing beneath his fusion cannon, and he tipped my chin up with it. "Oh, I do believe when your mate gets here, I will have the joy of terminating you before his very optics." he growled, his mouth and shark-like teeth forming a wicked grin. I let out a low growl.

"_Gidota! Set da de!" _I snarled. Before anything else could be said, there was blasterfire from behind Megatron. I reached out to my bond with Optimus, and felt his close proximity. Not from the direction of the blasters, though. No, that was just Arcee, Bulkhead and Bee.

"Where's Optimus?" Megatron muttered, noticing the same thing I did. He turned to me, and pressed his blade against my throat harder. "Where is he?!" he demanded.

"_Set da de._" I repeated. I saw his optics flit higher, and I knew what was happening. Optimus was jumping, running, then driving. Right towards the rock that the Star Sabre was in. Megatron broke into a run, finally releasing me.

"Keep Prime from the relic!" he roared, transforming and taking flight with several eradicons. In a ditch effort to try and stop Megatron, I jumped onto one of the Eradicons' backs as it took to the air, trying to force it to crash into him. It didn't work, in that respect. I _did_ leave him short one flier, though.

Alright, in this new experience of becoming an Alien, and meeting the transformers, this had to be the coolest thing I'd _ever_ seen. Optimus was holding the Star Sabre, which was glowing an unearthly blue, illuminating the whole of the area. I felt relief saturating my entire being when I saw -and felt- that he wasn't injured, running up to him. I didn't even mind that it was slightly awkward to hug his frame, accounting for his shape as well as my lesser height, I just needed to.

"I loosened it for him." I heard Smokescreen joke from a little ways away.

There was a sudden hiss and creak from above us, and I turned to see Megatron had dropped the boulder. It was going to crush us! I felt reassurance from Optimus, even as he let go of me and readied the sabre for the rolling rock moving towards us. I felt my body rippling and shaking with the ground below us as it neared,

"Optimus, retreat!" Arcee yelled, panic clear in her tone.

"Now!"

At the last possible second, Optimus turned around, putting me behind him, and swiped the sword upwards. It was with a flash of blue light that the entire rock split in two, branching out in two directions right before it would have crushed us both.

"Did he just..." Bulkhead was awestruck. As was I, my eyes fixed on the Star Sabre. I vaguely heard Bee bleep something in reply, but I didn't pay specific attention to it.

* * *

(Maddie POV)

Alright, I admit it. The Star Sabre is the coolest thing ever. I mean, not only did it just cut through at least fifty meters of solid _rock_, but it also did so in less than a second. Who _wouldn't_ find that cool?

"No way..." I murmured. I almost wanted to laugh as I got a sudden mental image of a horrified Megatron. Optimus looked to Talida for a moment, before looking up at the Nemesis. I remembered what came next. With several running steps, a spin, and a loud cry, the bot sent a swirling disc of blue energy towards the Nemesis as it retreated. It impacted with the rear thrusters, and the boom was deafening, even from our distance.

"Wait... it can do that?" Smokescreen asked, amazed.

"How epic was that?" I saw it with my own optics," Smokescreen did a direct imitation of the move Optimus made. "And I still can't believe it." Arcee approached him, clearly less happy than he.

"You know what I can't believe? Is that even after all you've been told, you _still_ put a human in danger!" she snapped.

"Arcee, it wasn't-"

"Don't you even start with me!" she sent her glare to Jack next. "We'll talk tomorrow." She looked to Ratchet. "Send Jack home."

Ratchet didn't say a word, only entered the coordinates and opened the bridge. Jack opened his mouth, but closed it again. Once, twice, and a third time, before turning around and walking into the bridge.

"We've been in need of another _Autobot_ in our ranks, not a child." Arcee growled.

"Arcee, it wasn't Smokescreen's fault, or Jack's fault." I turned in surprise to see it was Talida, once again human-sized, and wearing her mask again. "It was mine. I should have known better than to allow Jack to come along with Smokescreen, Maddy and I." she said. I was surprised by the formality in her tone. It sounded like... Optimus. I heard Optimus let out a low rumble.

"Disregard for human safety, or anyone's safety, will not be tolerated. Do you understand?" It was the angriest I'd ever heard him before, let alone at Talida. He was _never_ angry with her.

"Fully... Sir."

I know for a _fact_ I wasn't the only one shocked by that final word; Sir. Talida, Hannah, had just called her husband-in-all-but-name _sir_. I looked to Optimus to see his reaction, and I saw the hurt in his optics once again. I wondered if she was blocking him out.

"...We must never lose sight of the fact that upon this world, we are titans. And such power _must_ be used wisely."

The room went dark around us as the Star Sabre began to glow a bright blue in Optimus' servo.

"Optimus, what's going on?" I asked him. He didn't reply to me, simply shifted his grip on the Sabre so that it was pointed upwards.

"Optimus, speak to me." Ratchet implored.

"..."

"Optimus.."

"I am recieving a message." he stated. I saw his Optics were glowing with the same bright illumination that lit up the sabre. Ratchet was confused, asking, "From who?"

"Alpha Trion." was his reply.


	27. Return

**A/N: Once more I'm terrible sorry about publishing this chapter late. I've been having some real life things happening...**

**Anyways! Enjoy my lovely readers ! C:**

* * *

Return

(Maddie POV)

"Bossbot, we need to talk." I stated as I walked up to Optimus from the loft. He was busy at the computer, working away at the Iacon Database. It had been hours since he received the message from Alpha Trion, and I wasn't in the best mood with him right now. He looked over to me questioningly, and I crossed my arms, levelling him with a look.

"You need to talk to Talida." I insisted. His face fell, and I knew he knew why.

"You have known her for much longer than I. Can you...perhaps...explain her reaction earlier to me?" he requested. I nodded my head, beckoning him closer to the loft. He knelt down, leaning forwards.

"Alright, I'm telling you this in confidence, I'm the only person outside Tally and her brothers that even _knows_ what I'm about to tell you." I started in a whisper. "Talida's human father wasn't the best guy around. When her mother wasn't home, he was a terrible person, to her and her brothers. She was afraid of him, and she was afraid of disappointing him because she didn't want him to be angry with her. Since that was basically her life for the first ten years of it, it's been practically burned into her mind; If you do something wrong people will be angry with you. She's still not over it, even now. Even at the school, if she feels like she's in trouble, and someone's angry with her, she reacts like she did with you." It was a rather long explanation, even I'd admit it. But having known her since childhood, you learn to pick up a few things on a person.

"And... she is afraid of me?" The shock and hurt in the Prime's voice was unmistakable. I shook my head.

"Not _you_ specifically. It's more she's afraid to disappoint you. She also has this complex where she has to make people like her, to be a people-pleaser. She feels like she _personally _failed, if someone's disappointed in her." I explained. I'd actually talked to her earlier. Well, she hadn't talked much.

* * *

"_Tally, talk to me." I begged. She continued to sit there on her bed, looking for all the world like she never wanted to move again. "This is getting ridiculous, you know." I said, my voice taking on a stern edge. Her eyes flitted to me, narrowing. She was becoming irritated, I knew. But I kept pressing on it. _

"_Is this because of what happened earlier, with Optimus?" I tried. She seemed to flinch, and I knew I hit my mark. _

"De'm...Santo." _she mumbled. I sighed. _

"_It's not like you knew what was gonna happen." I tried to cheer her up. "You shouldn't be ashamed because of an honest mistake." She didn't reply for a long few moments. I tried to think about what in that situation could have made her act like this. Her brother was gone to live with June now, so that was one thing. Her family's funeral was today, that was another. Optimus wasn't exactly happy with- Oh. _OH. _Now I understood. _

"_You think Optimus is still angry with you." I got a nod of the head in return. I stood up, then. "I don't think he is, T'al'e. I'm gonna go talk to him, though." No response._

* * *

"Believe me, if you don't set her straight and tell her, just _tell _her you're not upset with her, she'll be like this for _days_." I continued. Optimus was silent as he pondered this, and it was a long few minutes before he spoke again

"And this mentality came to her because of the man she mourned for today?" he asked. He was frowning lightly, and I understood why; If he had done that to her, how could she have ever forgiven him? I nodded.

"Horrible dad or not, she still had at least a few good memories with him." I shrugged. "Now, are you gonna go talk to her?" His reply was immediate.

"Yes." I half-smiled at this.

"Good. While you're doing that... I think it may be a good idea to finally pay a visit to my mom again."

* * *

I hesitated, my closed hand inches away from knocking on my door. How would she react? I couldn't even remember how long I'd been gone for, and what had the Autobots told her, if anything?

"Only one way to find out..." I muttered, and knocked before I could lose my nerve.

I felt so nervous. I was _shaking_. I could hear the slow, heavy footsteps of my Mom getting the door. I could hear a pause in her footsteps, right before the door.

I took in a breath.

"Mom."

It was painstakingly quiet. It was like time had stopped, my mom and I being the only ones moving.

"Maddie.." She slowly unlocked the door, and opened it, as if she couldn't believe that it really was _me_.

I just stared.

Mom looked, _old._ Like really old. Her hair was turning gray, well, more gray. Her face made her look older than she really was, she had dark circles under her eyes, and they were red as well.

I instantly felt guilty that I had her worry about me so much.

"Mom?" I repeated the word, concern laced in my voice. "Are-"

_SMACK!_

I felt the sting of her hand on my face.

"Do you know-" She started, voice barely above a mutter. "Do you know just _how much_ grief you've cause me?!" Her sentence crescendoed nearly into a shriek.

I stayed silent, tears starting to prick at my eyes. What had I done..?

"Mom," That seemed to be the word of the day. "I'm so, _so_ sorry." My voice wavered as I said this.

The look she gave me added insult to injury.

She turned around.

"Come in."

I stood there for a moment before I was able to register the offer. Reluctantly, I stepped inside the house.

Everything seemed to look the same as the last time I saw it, which was a while ago. There was the dining room, its small table looking as lonely as ever. I glanced around and I could see the living room, the kitchen and the door that lead to my mom's bedroom.

I knew the place well, but it was foreign to me now.

"Shit." I turned my head in the direction of the kitchen. Mom was there making something.

I stood in the doorframe for a moment.

She looked to me. "Do you want a drink or something?" I shook my head. "Alright then, sit at the table."

I turned around and pulled back a chair, sitting down in it promptly. After a few moments, mom came in and took a chair of her own across from me.

We were silent for a moment.

"I heard about what happened to Hannah's family." I was taken back by the statement, looking up to her, while her gaze was pointed down to her hands that were clasped together. "I was invited to the funeral." She looked up to me. "And there was a girl who walked up to the caskets, and she just cried when she looked at them." She continued. "I hadn't cried so hard since.. your dad."

I looked to the last chair that stood empty, where dad would have been at if here were still with us.

"I walked up to the girl, she looked to be twenty, and I asked her how she knew Hannah's family. She just looked at me, as if she was in shock, and asked if I was your mom.

"I told her yes and, right there, she just hugged me, apologising over and over again as she cried."

"What did she look like?" I asked, but I had the feeling I already knew who it was.

Mom just stared at me. "Well.." she started, "She had the reddest hair I'd ever seen, and her eyes were really blue." She described.

Her eyes lit up for a moment.

"Oh! And there was also this man that was with her, too." I was silent.

"Mom.." I started slowly, "Would you believe me if I told you..." I paused.

"Yes, what is it?"

I sat there for a moment, fidgeting with my hands. "That.. the girl that was there... Was.. Hannah..?" I looked to my hands as I finished.

Mom just stared at me like I was crazy.

"Maddie.." I looked back up. "_What?_" I sighed.

There might have to be a lot of explaining to do.

Dammit.

"Mom, tell me about dad. _Really_ tell me about dad. I know that he's not human, so please.." I said quietly. "_Please_, don't avoid this."

She suddenly looked defeated, how long had she been silent about this? Not _told _me?

"Your father.." She began slowly. "Dave.. we were together, we were very close and we loved each other very much." She looked down to her hands. "We never thought, that we'd be able to have kids." she looked to me, "So it came as a surprise when I was pregnant with you."

She sighed tiredly, making herself look that much older. I only stared.

"Well..." I started. "I guess I have a lot to tell you, now that you've told me the truth." The tears started to prick again. "But it was too late." I said under my breath.

I told her, _everything._ Back when I was changed, to finding Screamer, to us switching bodies and back, to our secret meetings together (she yelled at me about that),but I stopped at the part where I died.

Mom was silent. "Then what happened?"

"He just, shot me."

"How did you live?"

"I didn't. I should be dead, but I'm not." I replied. "Kn- Some good friends that I knew were able to take what was left of me and tried to heal me, it should have taken _months_ before I had a body again." Mom looked terrified.

"'Before you had a body again,' Maddie what is this?" She asked, I just stared. "What, do you mean, by that." She repeated.

"..I, am able to take in almost any form of energy, including energon." I explained. "And, before I was killed, it turned out I had a spark." I tapped where it was in my chest. "And what was left of me was a shard that held it."

She just stared in disbelief.

"My friends took it and were able to create a sort of life-support system, if you will, I was able to continue living, but they had to make sure that Megatron wouldn't be able to find me, so the only way to do that was to connect me to the ship."

"But something went wrong." I continued darkly. "The ship got damaged, and was grounded. Megatron had this _brilliant_ idea to feed it with Dark Energon in order to repair the damn thing." I growled. "It _infected_ me, and it supercharged my regenerative abilities. I was able to become conscious again in a few days, but at a price." Mom stayed silent, and stared at me.

"What.." she began, "What was there..? After you were shot?"

My mood darkened at the question. "There was nothing. There wasn't any Holy Light or whatever it is that you think is there after we die." I said in a low voice. "There was only darkness." Mom just stared.

"Anyways," I continued. "Hannah and the kids went aboard the ship while everyone else was paralyzed..."

This continued for a while longer, to the point where my voice cracked in some places I had used it so much. When I finished, I cleared my throat and sat there.

I couldn't tell if mom looked horrified or surprised by my story. I had pretty much laid out everything that I had kept to myself since that day.

Speaking of which...

"How long has it been?" I looked up to my mom. "Since.. you were mutated?"

I stayed silent at the question for a long time. My eyes looked everywhere except to my mom.

I heaved a sigh.

"It's been.." I slowly started. "About a year now." Had it really? It felt like it was longer than that, with all that I had been through.

I looked to mom finally. She looked sad, and I felt bad for not telling her for so long, but I had to stay silent, even before I found out about the Bots and Cons, before I found Starscream.

"Why didn't you say anything before?" I was brought back from my thoughts at the question.

"Because I was scared." I answered. "I was scared and I thought that I would be okay without anyone knowing what I really was." I looked down to my hands. "Turns out I was wrong."

After a long silence, I stood up, and walked to the door. Mom followed me.

"Wait, you don't have to go!" She pleaded. I kept my back to her.

"I have to though, I have to do some things." It was a half-truth.

"Will you come back?" I gripped my hand on the door knob.

"Yes." I answered. "But that could be the last time you might ever see me." I continued darkly.

Before anything else was exchanged, I opened the door and commed Ratchet for a bridge a ways down the road.

* * *

"Welcome back." I was greeted by Arcee. I didn't even look up to her, didn't really have the heart to. I just walked over to the empty couch in the rec area and sat down.

"Something wrong?" This time I looked to the motorcycle, she looked worried.

"No." I lied and brought my knees up, hugging them. "There's nothing wrong."

The femme gave me a parting glance and left the main room. At that moment, Ratchet entered.

I already turned off the holoform, there was no need to have it now that I was at base. I sighed dejectedly.

"Something bad happened, didn't it." I looked to the medic from the edge of my vision. "I can tell, there's no need to lie." I stared at the TV instead of him.

"Yeah, something like that.." I mumbled through my arms. I could hear him vent something inaudible. I didn't really care nor did I try to hear what he said.

I buried my face into my arms some more, I just wanted to sleep.

* * *

"Autobots, I have decoded the first of the final four coordinates." Optimus' voice startled me awake. Lifting my head up, I saw the bots were all gathered in the main room, Optimus at the computer. "Divide into teams in the event that I am able to decode another, before the first team returns." he commanded.

"I'm on team one, who's with me?" Smokescreen instantly said.

"I'll go." Arcee volunteered, though I detected a warning in her tone as she walked to the groundbridge.

"After you, Ma'am." Smokescreen said respectfully.

"This should be interesting..." Ratchet muttered, opening the groundbridge.

"I'm coming too!" I called, dashing down the stairs to catch up with Arcee and Smokescreen. No-one seemed to object.

When we exited the bridge, I instantly put a crystal hand over my eyes to block sand from getting into them; we were in a desert. Egypt, from the looks of it.

"Huh. First ones here, and no locator beacon." Smokescreen stated.

"Which means the relic's still buried." I added. Arcee nodded her agreement.

"Right about..." the indicator in her hand started beeping like crazy. "There."

There was a set of crumbling ruins where she pointed. Well, this was bound to be fun.

* * *

"Uh, Arcee... I owe you an apology." Smokescreen suddenly piped up. We were in the ruins, and the only sound in the area was the indicator in Arcee's servo. "I never meant to endanger Jack. Humans squish easily, I get that. I wasn't thinking, and I'm... I'm sorry."

That brought a frown to Arcee's faceplate. She turned to face the younger bot, glaring at him. "This isn't just about Jack. Team Prime can't afford any casualties; Human or Bot." she turned and began walking again. "I've already lost two seasoned partners, I don't need a rookie or a human on my scorecard."

There was a silence, and I quickly scrambled to catch up with Arcee, leaving Smokescreen behind me.

"...Wait. You lost two partners?" he asked, starting to walk again. Arcee sighed exasperatedly, looking up to the sky.

It was darker in the tunnels of this whatever-it-was, and the locater was beeping more frequently. The only source of light was a flashlight of sorts attached to Arcee's arm, and it's beam was thin. I heard Smokescreen scoff behind me.

"Nice of these humans to pile all of these rocks on top of our relic."

"They didn't exactly know it was here, Smoke." I reminded him, my voice reverberating off the walls. He shrugged at me, making his shoulders scrape loudly against the ceiling. Arcee turned to give him a 'really?' look and he quickly sent her an apologetic one.

"Guys, look." I whispered, pointing to a set of hieroglyphics on the wall. "That seems to spell things out nicely, don't you think?" I suggested. Arcee nodded after examining the glyphs.

"Smoke, help me pull this back." she said, and both made short work of moving the wall out of the way. And there it was, our first Omega Key.

"Right, let's get back to base."

* * *

When we left the ruins, the sky was showing signs of a storm, I didn't like them that close. It made me uneasy. Thunder sounded in the distance. I shivered.

"Hey, you okay there?" I looked to Smokescreen.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Not too fond of thunderstorms, though." I smiled weakly. "They kind of scare me." Smokescreen looked confused.

"What's the harm a little water's gonna do to y-" Suddenly a loud, thunderous sound surrounded us. I screamed, startled.

"Th-that!" I said, terrified at the moment. I looked to the large cluster of dark clouds, and my jaw dropped.

I could see the Nemesis in the distance.

"Um.." The two bots looked to me then to where I was pointing. The warship was zeroing in on our position. Shit, shit, SHIT. This wasn't good. Now what were we supposed to do?


End file.
